The Commonwealth of Chiho is a colossal, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Prime Minister Yuko Hayashi with an even hand, and remarkable for its keen interest in outer space, compulsory military service, and zero percent divorce rate. The compassionate, democratic population of 7.055 billion Chihoese have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The large government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Chukyo. The average income tax rate is 86.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Chihoese economy, worth a remarkable 1,207 trillion New Chiho Yen a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Arms Manufacturing. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 171,117 New Chiho Yen, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The parliament building has installed a revolving door, Chihoese police have to pay out of their own pockets for bulletproof vests, the government supplies ragtag bands of resistance fighters in exchange for vague promises of future payment, and politicians preface their speeches with a declaration that any resemblance to speeches given by individuals living or dead is purely coincidental. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Chiho's national animal is the Red Panda, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Chiho is ranked 5,129^th in the world and 2^nd in Selene for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 558.22 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.