mini-independent country

Calque of Japanese ミニ独立国 (mini dokuritsu koku).

mini-independent country (plural mini-independent countries)

1. (very rare) In Japan, a town or village that declares itself an independent country for means of regional development, such as economic growth from tourism.
   • 1988 January, The Nihongo Journal, volume 3, number 1, Aruku Kabushiki Kaisha, page 12:

     The Kirikiri-koku – the first "mini-independent country".

   • 2023 October 13, Masami Kinoshita, “Yokai Report No. 1”, in The Japanese Yokai Handbook: A Guide to the Spookiest Ghosts, Demons, Monsters and Evil Creatures from Japanese Folklore, Tuttle Publishing, →ISBN, page 60:

     A mini-independent country called the "Republic of Tsuchinoko" was created and people from inside and outside the prefecture were invited to move there.

• independent mini-nation

• micronation