Empires in East Asia

In the 400s the Yamato clan was established as the leading clan (by themselves), they claimed to be descended from the sun goddess, Amaterasu. Their rulers lacked any real economic or government power, but the dynasty never  was conquered. When enemy clans fought for power, the winner would claim control of the empire and then ruled the new conquered land under the emperor's name. Today's emperor claims to be descended from a family of the prior emperors. The Japanese government had both an emperor who basically did nothing and an actual ruler who was confidential and behind the scene’s. That style of governing is still present today in the Japanese government.