Wizarding Japan: A History

Japan has always been considered a country rich in mythology and magic. Their deities and creatures have long been told throughout history and depictions of them have continued even to present day. This is because, before the Statute of Secrecy was decreed, Japan was a country alive with muggles and magicians working together, side by side. Witches and Wizards assisted with remedies when they were needed, and muggles provided other solutions for those born to magical families with no abilities. For many centuries they lived together in peace and tranquility.

Four great sorcerers of their time, Byakko, Genbu, Suzaku and Seiryuu, were powerful animagi. Taking the forms of strange incarnations of mystical beasts, they began to show their skills to muggles who, quick to believe in power, began to worship them as deities. These sorcerers were pleased, and decided that they, so powerful and with such strong pulls to a season of their own, would create a school for magical children to learn their talents in.

It was, however, in the early seventeenth century that Japan too became threatened by the muggle takeovers that had been plaguing Europe for nearly two centuries. Witch hunts and trials became common in smaller communities, and their co-existence was threatened, wizards hiding themselves from their rural muggle counterparts.

When the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was signed, they were among the countries that chose to accept that the face of society was to be hidden. Their numbers were less, despite their power, and they needed to make certain they too would be kept alive and not persecuted for an ability they were gifted at birth.

Where Japan differed from the other countries, however, was in their need to completely segregate the worlds. While they chose to hide their young - the ones most at risk of exposure to the muggles - those in the power of the ministry chose to work hand-in-hand with the monarchy and political strengths of Japan, making certain that they knew who they were ruling. Only those in the greatest power were given the knowledge, and were closely watched so as to make use of memory charms should they ever try to abuse that knowledge.

As time progressed, the wizarding community of Japan began to accept and welcome muggle technologies. In many places they appreciated electronics and other comfortable conveniences as much as any muggle. As modern times began to come around however, and the dark wizard Voldemort began to terrorise the European continent, some tension began to rise among the wizarding communities of Japan.

For too long, they thought, had they been considered the least important race. Muggles had been allowed to infiltrate everything, had been given too much power now that wizards too used their technology. They were stronger, with gifts that allowed them to do things no muggle could, and that meant that they were better.

Arguments and polls began to appear in magazines and wizarding news. People began to form their own opinions and finally it was put to the Ministry who too were torn down the middle by their indecision. Did they reveal themselves to the muggles of Japan and take their rightful place as the dominant community, to have muggles in awe of them once more? Or was that a risk too great to take, with the trials only mere centuries ago?