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• Hirohito, or Emperor Showa, was the 124th Emperor of Japan.

• Fast Facts:

  1. Born: April 29, 1901
  2. Died: January 7, 1989
  3. Married: Empress Kojun
  4. Predecessor: Emperor Taisho
  5. Successor: Emperor Akihito
  6. First Japanese crown prince to travel abroad
  7. His Gyokuon-hoso speech is the first time in Japan's history that an emperor spoke to the common people

• Brief Background

  Prince Hirohito was born to Emperor Taisho and Emperor Teimei. He assumed the throne on December 25, 1926 after the death of his father.

  During the 1930s Japan was increasingly becoming more of a military power and began to seek dominance over Asia. Its invasion of China, and its subsequent alliance with Nazi Germany during World War II were evidence of this desire.

  After Harry Truman ordered the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hirohito surrendered to the allied forces. There were thoughts in Japan that Hirohito might step down as emperor, but General Douglas MacArthur urged him to stay on in his position and head up the reconstruction of the country.

  He died from cancer on January 7, 1989 and had a state funeral on February 24.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  History of Japan | Japanese | Tokyo | Yakuza | Attack on Pearl Harbor | World War II Timeline | Japan | Battle of Midway

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