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69-742: As a tribute to mark the ascension of the Emperor Showa in 1928, the Japanese government in Taiwan dismantled the Qing dynasty government office in Taipeh ( Taipei ) and began the plan to erect the Taihoku City Public Auditorium ( 臺北公會堂 , Taihoku Kōkaidō ) . Construction began on 23 November 1932 and was completed on 26 November 1936. Ide Kaoru , the main architect serving as chief engineer in Taiwan under

138-579: A communist and was executed. Prince Hirohito married his distant cousin Princess Nagako Kuni , the eldest daughter of Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni , on 26 January 1924. They had two sons and five daughters (see Issue ). The daughters who lived to adulthood left the imperial family as a result of the American reforms of the Japanese imperial household in October 1947 (in the case of Princess Shigeko) or under

207-464: A false flag operation and made a false accusation against Chinese dissidents as a pretext to invade Manchuria, Japan occupied Chinese territories and established puppet governments . Such aggression was recommended to Hirohito by his chiefs of staff and prime minister Fumimaro Konoe , and Hirohito did not voice objection to the invasion of China. A diary by chamberlain Kuraji Ogura says that he

276-650: A 47-page report to the Emperor (sōjōan) outlining in minute detail plans for the advance into Southeast Asia. During the third week of October, Sugiyama gave Hirohito a 51-page document, "Materials in Reply to the Throne," about the operational outlook for the war. As war preparations continued, Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe found himself increasingly isolated, and he resigned on 16 October. He justified himself to his chief cabinet secretary, Kenji Tomita, by stating: Of course His Majesty

345-528: A background of financial crisis and increasing military power within the government through both legal and extralegal means. The Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy held veto power over the formation of cabinets since 1900. Between 1921 and 1944, there were 64 separate incidents of political violence. Hirohito narrowly escaped assassination by a hand grenade thrown by a Korean independence activist, Lee Bong-chang , in Tokyo on 9 January 1932, in

414-787: A banquet was held every day thereafter. In London, he toured the British Museum , the Tower of London , the Bank of England , Lloyd's Marine Insurance , Oxford University , Army University, and the Naval War College . He also enjoyed theater at the New Oxford Theatre and the Delhi Theatre. At the University of Cambridge , he listened to Professor J. R. Tanner's lecture on "Relationship between

483-474: A crown princely title, is not automatically hereditary. It generally requires a specific conferral by the sovereign, which may be withheld. Current and past titles in this category include: Currently, the following monarchies use the term "crown prince" (or "crown princess") for the heirs apparent to their thrones: In addition, the following heirs apparent to deposed monarchies continue to use their former titles by international courtesy: In Islamic tradition,

552-410: A descendant of a deceased older child who, by "right of representation", inherits the same place in the line of succession that would be held by the ancestor if he or she were still living (for example, Carl Gustaf, Duke of Jämtland was the crown prince of Sweden from 1950 to 1973, as the senior grandson by male primogeniture of King Gustaf VI Adolf , although the former Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland

621-543: A free hand to continue with the conquest of China and Southeast Asia, no increase in U.S. or British military forces in the region, and cooperation by the West "in the acquisition of goods needed by our Empire." On 5 September, Prime Minister Konoe informally submitted a draft of the decision to Hirohito, just one day in advance of the Imperial Conference at which it would be formally implemented. On this evening, Hirohito had

690-641: A meeting with the chief of staff of the army, Sugiyama, chief of staff of the navy, Osami Nagano , and Prime Minister Konoe. Hirohito questioned Sugiyama about the chances of success of an open war with the Occident . As Sugiyama answered positively, Hirohito scolded him: —At the time of the China Incident , the army told me that we could achieve peace immediately after dealing them one blow with three divisions ... but you can't still beat Chiang Kai-shek even today! Sugiyama, you were army minister at that time. —China

759-540: A public confirmation that he possessed the Japanese Imperial Regalia , also called the Three Sacred Treasures , which have been handed down through the centuries. However, his enthronement events were planned and staged under the economic conditions of a recession whereas the 55th Imperial Diet unanimously passed $ 7,360,000 for the festivities. The first part of Hirohito's reign took place against

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828-399: A simple life like Duke Athol." In Italy, he met with King Vittorio Emanuele III and others, attended official international banquets, and visited places such as the fierce battlefields of World War I . After returning (from Europe) to Japan, Hirohito became Regent of Japan ( Sesshō ) on 25 November 1921, in place of his ailing father, who was affected by mental illness. In 1923 he

897-415: A stele alongside to tell the story. Crown Prince Hirohito handed his Imperial Notice to Governor-General Den Kenjiro and departed from Keelung on 26 April 1923. The Great Kantō earthquake devastated Tokyo on 1 September 1923, killing some 100,000 people and leveling vast areas. The city could be rebuilt drawing on the then massive timber reserves of Taiwan. In the aftermath of the tragical disaster,

966-415: A title below that of king/queen or emperor/empress (such as grand duke or prince ), although it is sometimes used as a synonym for heir apparent. In Europe, where primogeniture governed succession to all monarchies except those of the papacy and Andorra , the eldest son or (more recently) eldest child of the current monarch fills the role of crown prince or princess, depending upon whether females of

1035-468: Is a pacifist, and there is no doubt he wished to avoid war. When I told him that to initiate war was a mistake, he agreed. But the next day, he would tell me: "You were worried about it yesterday, but you do not have to worry so much." Thus, gradually, he began to lean toward war. And the next time I met him, he leaned even more toward. In short, I felt the Emperor was telling me: my prime minister does not understand military matters, I know much more. In short,

1104-469: Is a vast area with many ways in and ways out, and we met unexpectedly big difficulties ... —You say the interior of China is huge; isn't the Pacific Ocean even bigger than China? ... Didn't I caution you each time about those matters? Sugiyama, are you lying to me? Chief of Naval General Staff Admiral Nagano, a former Navy Minister and vastly experienced, later told a trusted colleague, "I have never seen

1173-664: The Anti-Comintern Pact , and reprimanded the army minister, Seishirō Itagaki . But after the success of the Wehrmacht in Europe, Hirohito consented to the alliance. On 27 September 1940, ostensibly under Hirohito's leadership, Japan became a contracting partner of the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy forming the Axis powers . The objectives to be obtained were clearly defined:

1242-502: The Empire of Japan was created and governed through diplomatic actions (taking into accounts the interests of other nations benevolently and justly). On 2 November 1916, Hirohito was formally proclaimed crown prince and heir apparent . An investiture ceremony was not required to confirm this status. From 3 March to 3 September 1921 (Taisho 10), the Crown Prince made official visits to

1311-627: The Sakuradamon Incident . Another notable case was the assassination of moderate Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi in 1932, marking the end of civilian control of the military . The February 26 incident , an attempted military coup , followed in February 1936. It was carried out by junior Army officers of the Kōdōha faction who had the sympathy of many high-ranking officers including Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu , one of Hirohito's brothers. This revolt

1380-614: The United Kingdom , France , the Netherlands , Belgium , Italy , Vatican City and Malta (then a protectorate of the British Empire). This was the first visit to Western Europe by the Crown Prince. Despite strong opposition in Japan, this was realized by the efforts of elder Japanese statesmen ( Genrō ) such as Yamagata Aritomo and Saionji Kinmochi . The departure of Prince Hirohito

1449-563: The dynasty enjoy personal succession rights . Male precedence has been abolished in Belgium , Denmark , Luxembourg , Norway , Sweden and the Netherlands , as well as in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms pursuant to the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 . The eldest living child of a monarch is sometimes not the heir apparent or crown prince, because that position can be held by

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1518-528: The spouse of a crown prince. She would be styled crown princess, not in her own right but by courtesy . Many European countries have now abolished male primogeniture; a notable exception is Spain. Today, in monarchies lower than royal rank the term "crown prince" is used in English (e.g. Crown Prince of Umm al-Quwain ). The term crown prince is not used in European monarchies if the hereditary sovereign holds

1587-594: The 1930s as the military increasingly dominated Japanese politics. When Japan's Kwantung Army staged the Mukden incident as a pretext for its invasion of Manchuria in 1931, he made no objection. Following the onset of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, tensions steadily grew between Japan and the United States, and on 1 December 1941, Hirohito formally sanctioned the government's decision to go to war against

1656-642: The Allies and accepted a formal surrender from the Japanese. The surrendering Japanese commander was Ando Rikichi, Japanese Governor of Taiwan. The former Taihoku City Public Auditorium was renamed Chungshan (Zhongshan) Hall in honor of Sun Yat-sen and functioned as an official meeting place under the Chinese government. The hall was one of more than 125 public halls which pre-dated the KMT's takeover which were either demolished or renamed to Zhongshan Hall. In addition new halls built by

1725-494: The British Royal Family and its People", and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree. He visited Edinburgh , Scotland, from 19 to 20 May, and was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws at the University of Edinburgh . He stayed at the residence of John Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl , for three days. On his stay with Stuart-Murray, the prince was quoted as saying, "The rise of Bolsheviks won't happen if you live

1794-452: The Emperor had absorbed the view of the army and navy high commands. The army and the navy recommended the appointment of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni , one of Hirohito's uncles, as prime minister. According to the Shōwa "Monologue", written after the war, Hirohito then said that if the war were to begin while a member of the imperial house was prime minister, the imperial house would have to carry

1863-527: The Emperor reprimand us in such a manner, his face turning red and raising his voice." Nevertheless, all speakers at the Imperial Conference were united in favor of war rather than diplomacy. Baron Yoshimichi Hara , President of the Imperial Council and Hirohito's representative, then questioned them closely, producing replies to the effect that war would be considered only as a last resort from some, and silence from others. On 8 October, Sugiyama signed

1932-575: The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum . When his grandfather, Emperor Meiji died on 30 July 1912, Yoshihito assumed the throne and his eldest son, Hirohito became heir apparent . After learning about the death of his instructor, General Nogi, he along with his brothers were reportedly overcome with emotions. He would later acknowledge the lasting influence of Nogi in his life. At that time he

2001-427: The Japanese government, used the full cost of 980,000 yen and 94,500 workers. The four-story steel structure of the building was designed to be fire-resistant and to withstand severe earthquakes and typhoons. The original building was faced in light green tile to make it less visible to aerial bombers. The windows are adorned with classical designs in a Spanish Islamic style. With 44,179 square feet (4,104.4 m) for

2070-499: The KMT on military bases and in state-owned enterprise factories were also named Zhongshan Hall. Zhongshan Hall has always been one of the formal reception areas for welcoming foreign guests and diplomats. Former guests have included US President Richard Nixon , South Korean President Syngman Rhee , President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem , Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia , Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , and others. Zhongshan Hall has also hosted memorial ceremonies such as

2139-572: The Prince Regent should be understood as part of an integration ceremony of incorporating the colony into the empire, which can be seen as the context and purpose of Hirohito's Taiwanese visit. Having visited several sites outside of Taipei, Hirohito returned to the capital on the 24th and on 25 April, just one day before his departure, he visited the Beitou hotspring district of Taipei and its oldest facility. The original structure had been built in 1913 in

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2208-503: The Prince, such as swallow's nest and shark fin, as Taiwanese cuisine. This was the first time an Emperor or a Crown Prince has ever eaten local cuisine on a colony, or had foreign dishes other than Western cuisine abroad, thus exceptional preparations were required: The eight chefs and other cooking staff were purified for a week (through fasting and ritual bathing) before the cooking of the feast could begin. This tasting of “Taiwanese cuisine” of

2277-547: The State and of the unity of the people" under the nation's new constitution . In this role, he took on a more prominent public presence and oversaw Japan's reintegration into the international community. Hirohito died in 1989 and was succeeded as emperor by his eldest son, Akihito . At the time of his death, he was the world's only monarch with the title "Emperor". Hirohito was born on 29 April 1901 at Tōgū Palace in Aoyama, Tokyo during

2346-587: The U.S. and its allies. One week later, the Pacific War began with Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and U.S. and British colonies in Southeast Asia . Once the war had turned decisively against Japan, Hirohito called upon his forces to surrender in a radio broadcast on 15 August 1945. To this day, the extent of his involvement in military decision-making and his wartime culpability remain subjects of historical debate. Following Japan's surrender , Emperor Hirohito

2415-654: The age of 3, Hirohito and his brother Yasuhito were returned to court when Kawamura died – first to the imperial mansion in Numazu , Shizuoka , then back to the Aoyama Palace. In 1908, he began elementary studies at the Gakushūin (Peers School). Emperor Mutsuhito, then appointed General Nogi Maresuke to be the Gakushūin's tenth president as well as the one in-charge on educating his grandson. The main aspect that they focused

2484-598: The brutality that his officers had inflicted on the Chinese populace in Nanking; thus Hirohito had seemingly turned a blind eye to and condoned these monstrosities. During the invasion of Wuhan , from August to October 1938, Hirohito authorized the use of toxic gas on 375 separate occasions, despite the resolution adopted by the League of Nations on 14 May condemning Japanese use of toxic gas. In July 1939, Hirohito quarrelled with his brother, Prince Chichibu , over whether to support

2553-477: The chief of staff of Japanese China Garrison Army on 5 August not to use the term "prisoners of war" for Chinese captives. This instruction led to the removal of the constraints of international law on the treatment of Chinese prisoners. The works of Yoshiaki Yoshimi and Seiya Matsuno show that Hirohito also authorized, by specific orders ( rinsanmei ), the use of chemical weapons against the Chinese. Later in his life, Hirohito looked back on his decision to give

2622-533: The decision to move troops to North China . According to Akira Fujiwara , Hirohito endorsed the policy of qualifying the invasion of China as an "incident" instead of a "war"; therefore, he did not issue any notice to observe international law in this conflict (unlike what his predecessors did in previous conflicts officially recognized by Japan as wars), and the Deputy Minister of the Japanese Army instructed

2691-538: The go-ahead to wage a 'defensive' war against China and opined that his foremost priority was not to wage war with China but to prepare for a war with the Soviet Union, as his army had reassured him that the China war would end within three months, but that decision of his had haunted him since he forgot that the Japanese forces in China were drastically fewer than that of the Chinese, hence the shortsightedness of his perspective

2760-722: The ground floor, the total area of the City Public Auditorium was 113,750 square feet (10,568 m), making it the fourth largest city Public Auditorium in Japan at that time. It was smaller than only the City Public Halls of Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. After Taiwan's handover to the Republic of China in 1945 after World War II, the Chief of the Taiwan Provincial Administrative Office, Chen Yi represented

2829-438: The hall. There is also an underground parking lot. 25°02′35″N 121°30′36″E  /  25.043148°N 121.510082°E  / 25.043148; 121.510082 Emperor Hirohito Hirohito (29 April 1901 – 7 January 1989), posthumously honored as Emperor Shōwa , was the 124th emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 1926 until his death in 1989. He

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2898-455: The heir presumptive to the crown may hold a different title from an heir apparent : hereditary prince (German: Erbprinz , French: prince héréditaire ). It is also the title borne by the heir apparent of Liechtenstein , as well as the heir apparent or presumptive of Monaco . In Luxembourg , the heir apparent bears the title of hereditary grand duke ( German : Erbgroßherzog , Luxembourgish : ierfgroussherzog ); along with hereditary prince, it

2967-474: The military authorities saw an opportunity to annihilate the communist movement in Japan. During the Kantō Massacre an estimated 6000 people, mainly ethnic Koreans, were annihilated. The backlash culminated in an assassination attempt by Daisuke Namba on the Prince Regent on 27 December 1923 in the so-called Toranomon incident , but the attempt failed. During interrogation, the failed assassin claimed to be

3036-489: The new Emperor was never referred to by his given name but rather was referred to simply as "His Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to "His Majesty." In writing, the Emperor was also referred to formally as "The Reigning Emperor." In November 1928, Hirohito's accession was confirmed in ceremonies ( sokui ) which are conventionally identified as "enthronement" and "coronation" ( Shōwa no tairei-shiki ); but this formal event would have been more accurately described as

3105-644: The position of heir apparent (e.g. Prince of Wales in the United Kingdom , Prince of Asturias in the Kingdom of Spain and formerly the Dauphin in France ). In these monarchies, the term crown prince may be used less often than the substantive title (or never). Until the late twentieth century, no modern monarchy adopted a system whereby females would be guaranteed to succeed to the throne (i.e. absolute primogeniture ). A crown princess would therefore be more likely to refer to

3174-497: The possibility of an attack by the Soviet Union given his questions to his chief of staff, Prince Kan'in Kotohito , and army minister, Hajime Sugiyama , about the time it could take to crush Chinese resistance and how could they prepare for the eventuality of a Soviet incursion. Based on Bix's findings, Hirohito was displeased by Prince Kan'in's evasive responses about the substance of such contingency plans but nevertheless still approved

3243-516: The rebellion within the hour. He asked for reports from Honjō every 30 minutes. The next day, when told by Honjō that the high command had made little progress in quashing the rebels, the Emperor told him "I Myself, will lead the Konoe Division and subdue them." The rebellion was suppressed following his orders on 29 February . Beginning from the Mukden Incident in 1931 in which Japan staged

3312-456: The reign of his grandfather, Emperor Meiji , the first son of 21-year-old Crown Prince Yoshihito (the future Emperor Taishō ) and 16-year-old Crown Princess Sadako, the future Empress Teimei . He was the grandson of Emperor Meiji and Yanagiwara Naruko . His childhood title was Prince Michi. Ten weeks after he was born, Hirohito was removed from the court and placed in the care of Count Kawamura Sumiyoshi , who raised him as his grandchild. At

3381-478: The responsibility and he was opposed to this. Instead, Hirohito chose the hard-line General Hideki Tōjō , who was known for his devotion to the imperial institution, and asked him to make a policy review of what had been sanctioned by the Imperial Conferences. On 2 November Tōjō, Sugiyama, and Nagano reported to Hirohito that the review of eleven points had been in vain. Emperor Hirohito gave his consent to

3450-582: The signing of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty and three formal inauguration ceremonies of the second, third, and fourth presidency and vice-presidency of the Republic of China . The hall has several auditoriums currently used for arts performances such as chamber and orchestral music, traditional Chinese music, voice/choir, opera, dance, ceremonies, and exhibits. Exit No. 5 of the Taipei Metro 's Ximen Station provides access to

3519-477: The style of a traditional Japanese bathhouse. However, in anticipation of Hirohito's visit an additional residential wing was added to the earlier building, this time in the style of an Edwardian country house. The new building was subsequently opened to the public and was deemed the largest public bathhouse in the Japanese Empire. Crown Prince Hirohito was a student of science, and he had heard that Beitou Creek

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3588-585: The terms of the Imperial Household Law at the moment of their subsequent marriages (in the cases of Princesses Kazuko, Atsuko, and Takako). On 25 December 1926, Yoshihito died and Hirohito became emperor. The Crown Prince was said to have received the succession ( senso ). The Taishō era 's end and the Shōwa era 's beginning (Enlightened Peace) were proclaimed. The deceased Emperor was posthumously renamed Emperor Taishō within days. Following Japanese custom,

3657-464: The throne in 1912, Hirohito was proclaimed crown prince and heir apparent in 1916. In 1921, he made an official visit to Great Britain and Western Europe, the first overseas visit by a member of the Japanese royal family. Owing to his father's ill health, Hirohito became regent in 1921. In 1924, he married Princess Nagako Kuni , with whom he had seven children. Hirohito became emperor upon his father's death in 1926, serving as head of state during

3726-433: The title, crown princess , is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. Crown prince as a descriptive term has been used throughout history for the prince who is first-in-line to a throne and is expected to succeed (i.e. the heir apparent), barring any unforeseen future event preventing this. In certain monarchies, a more specific substantive title may be accorded and become associated with

3795-433: The war and then asked: "Are you going to provide justification for the war?" The decision for war against the United States was presented for approval to Hirohito by General Tōjō, Naval Minister Admiral Shigetarō Shimada , and Japanese Foreign Minister Shigenori Tōgō . Crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy . The female form of

3864-699: Was Gustaf VI Adolf's eldest living son, and Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland his eldest living dynastic son during those years). In some monarchies, those of the Middle East for example, in which primogeniture is not the decisive factor in dynastic succession, a person may not possess the title or status of crown prince by right of birth, but may obtain (and lose) it as a result of an official designation made on some other legal or traditional basis, such as former crown prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan . Compare heir apparent and heir presumptive . In Scandinavian kingdoms,

3933-454: Was a trained historian from Germany , imbibing the positivist historiographic trend by Leopold von Ranke . He was the one who inculcated in the mind of the young Hirohito that there is a connection between the divine origin of the imperial line and the aspiration of linking it to the myth of the racial superiority and homogeneity of the Japanese. The emperors were often a driving force in the modernization of their country. He taught Hirohito that

4002-501: Was also the title borne by the heirs apparent to the thrones of the grand duchies, sovereign duchies and principalities , and of mediatized princely families in the German monarchies abolished in 1918. Many monarchies use or did use substantive titles for their heirs apparent, often of historical origin: Some monarchies have used (although not always de jure ) a territorial title for heirs apparent which, though often perceived as

4071-414: Was evident. On 1 December 1937, Hirohito had given formal instruction to General Iwane Matsui to capture and occupy the enemy capital of Nanking. He was very eager to fight this battle since he and his council firmly believed that all it would take is a one huge blow to bring forth the surrender of Chiang Kai-shek. He even gave an Imperial Rescript to Iwane when he returned to Tokyo a year later, despite

4140-533: Was not prosecuted for war crimes at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal even though the Japanese had waged war in his name. Douglas MacArthur believed that a cooperative emperor would facilitate a peaceful occupation of Japan and support U.S. postwar objectives, thereby leading him to exclude any evidence that could have incriminated Hirohito and his family. Upon being pressured by the Allies into renouncing his divinity in 1946, Hirohito became "the symbol of

4209-471: Was occasioned by a loss of political support by the militarist faction in Diet elections. The coup resulted in the murders of several high government and Army officials. When Chief Aide-de-camp Shigeru Honjō informed him of the revolt, Hirohito immediately ordered that it be put down and referred to the officers as "rebels" ( bōto ). Shortly thereafter, he ordered Army Minister Yoshiyuki Kawashima to suppress

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4278-545: Was on physical education and health, primarily because Hirohito was a sickly child, on par with the impartment or inculcation of values such as frugality, patience, manliness, self-control, and devotion to the duty at hand. During 1912, at the age of 11, Hirohito was commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Army as a Second Lieutenant and in the Imperial Japanese Navy as an Ensign. He was also bestowed with

4347-443: Was one of only two hot springs in the world that contained a rare radioactive mineral. So, he decided to walk into the creek to investigate. Naturally, concerned for a royal family member's safety, his entourage scurried around, seeking flat rocks to use as stepping stones. After that, these stones were carefully mounted and given the official name: “His Imperial Highness Crown Prince of Japan's Stepping Stones for River Crossing,” with

4416-460: Was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the army and Commander in the navy, and army Colonel and Navy Captain in 1925. Over 12 days in April 1923, Hirohito visited Taiwan, which had been a Japanese colony since 1895. This was a voyage his father, the then Crown Prince Yoshihito had planned in 1911 but never completed. It was widely reported in Taiwanese newspapers that famous high-end restaurants served typical Chinese luxury dishes for

4485-498: Was reluctant to start war against China in 1937 because they had underestimated China's military strength and Japan should be cautious in its strategy. In this regard, Ogura writes Hirohito said that "once you start (a war), it cannot easily be stopped in the middle ... What's important is when to end the war" and "one should be cautious in starting a war, but once begun, it should be carried out thoroughly." Nonetheless, according to Herbert Bix, Hirohito's main concern seems to have been

4554-409: Was still two years away from completing primary school, henceforth his education was compensated by Fleet Admiral Togo Heihachiro and Naval Captain Ogasawara Naganari, wherein later on, would become his major opponents with regards to his national defense policy. Shiratori Kurakichi, one of his middle-school instructors, was one of the personalities who deeply influenced the life of Hirohito. Kurakichi

4623-471: Was the longest-reigning Japanese emperor and one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs , reigning for 62 years during the Shōwa era , which saw Japan's militarization and imperial expansion in Asia , involvement in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II , and economic recovery and boom . Hirohito was the first child of Crown Prince Yoshihito and Crown Princess Sadako (later Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei ). After his father's accession to

4692-489: Was welcomed in the UK as a partner of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and met with King George V and Prime Minister David Lloyd George . That evening, a banquet was held at Buckingham Palace , where Hirohito met with George V and Prince Arthur of Connaught . George V said that he treated his father like Hirohito, who was nervous in an unfamiliar foreign country, and that relieved his tension. The next day, he met Prince Edward (the future Edward VIII) at Windsor Castle , and

4761-422: Was widely reported in newspapers. The Japanese battleship Katori was used, and departed from Yokohama , sailed to Naha , Hong Kong , Singapore , Colombo , Suez , Cairo , and Gibraltar . In April, Hirohito was present in Malta for the opening of the Maltese Parliament. After sailing for two months, the Katori arrived in Portsmouth on 9 May, on the same day reaching the British capital, London . Hirohito

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