the Japanese Empire; Imperial Japan
Dated, poetic term for Japan as an empire under the emperor, used especially in pre-1945 contexts. Often carries nationalistic or literary overtones.
In prewar textbooks, the phrase 'for the sake of the Empire' often appeared.
emperor-centered historiography
Compound of 皇 (emperor) and 国 (country). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it became a poetic and nationalistic term for Japan during the imperial era.