Tokyo
The Japanese government was practically in tears. The British had suddenly surrendered without putting up a desperate fight. They were clearly screwing over their allies.
Rewind three months. In order to control the South Seas, the Japanese South Seas Area Army sent troops to occupy the Malacca Strait, and the Japanese-Dutch War broke out.
Bulgaria was preoccupied with the war against the United Kingdom and did not declare war on them. However, the Holy Alliance still introduced its harshest sanctions, completely cutting off trade between Japan and the Western world.
Knowing they could not win, the Dutch were thoroughly ruthless. They blew up their own mines and oil fields, which would take at least a year or two to restore. The Japanese military's plan to obtain fuel from the South Seas had fallen apart.
Once the European war ended, Bulgaria's gaze would turn toward Asia. Without question, Japan would be the target of suppression.
Before they could even reach a conclusion, the Holy Alliance issued the Far East Declaration, directly defining the limits of Japan's legitimate sovereignty and demanding that the Japanese government withdraw from all illegally occupied territories.
With Ferdinand's personal intervention, the declaration was naturally exceedingly harsh on the Japanese government. It could be said that they had returned overnight to where they had been a century ago.
Japan's sovereignty over every island other than Honshu—including Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku—would have to be reviewed by the soon-to-be-established United Nations before it could be determined whether those islands belonged to Japan.
All overseas colonies had been acquired illegally. The Japanese government was ordered to hand them over immediately and return everything to its rightful owner.
Ask for the sky, then bargain on the ground.
Naturally, things were not that simple. As soon as the news spread, all of