independent mini-nation

A form of mini-independent country — In Japan, a town or village that declares itself an independent country for means of regional development, such as economic growth from tourism.

OriginJapanese ミニ独立国 →
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Meanings

nounindependent mini-nation (plural independent mini-nations)

plural independent mini-nations

  1. alternativeAlternative form of mini-independent country.
    1 more example

    These republics are among the "independent mini-nations" (mini dokuritsu koku) that have been founded throughout Japan since the late 1970s for a variety of overlapping objectives, including attracting tourists both to increase revenues and to counter the adverse effects of the out-migration of young adults.

    1998, Stephen Vlastos, Mirror of Modernity: Invented Traditions of Modern Japan, University of California Press, →ISBN, page 121

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
mini-independent country

Origin

  1. Japaneseミニ独立国“mini-independent country”
  2. Englishindependent mini-nation

Calque of Japanese ミニ独立国 (minidokuritsukoku, “mini-independent country”). Transposed from alternative form mini-independent country to add emphasis on "mini-nation".

More words from Japanese

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

independent mini-nation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/independent%20mini-nation

MLA

“independent mini-nation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/independent%20mini-nation. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “independent mini-nation,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/independent%20mini-nation.

Source: independent mini-nation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.