Hirohito
Emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Emperor Shōwa (昭和天皇, Shōwa-tennō, 29 April 1901 – 7 January 1989), commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name Hirohito[lower-alpha 1] (裕仁), was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Nagako, had two sons and five daughters; he was succeeded by his fifth child and eldest son, Akihito. By 1979, Hirohito was the only monarch in the world with the title "Emperor". He was the longest-reigning historical Japanese emperor and one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the world.
| Emperor Shōwa 昭和天皇 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Official photograph, 1935 | |||||||||
| Emperor of Japan | |||||||||
| Reign | 25 December 1926 – 7 January 1989 | ||||||||
| Enthronement | 10 November 1928 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Taishō | ||||||||
| Successor | Akihito | ||||||||
| Prime ministers | |||||||||
| Prince Regent of Japan | |||||||||
| Regency | 25 November 1921 – 25 December 1926 | ||||||||
| Monarch | Taishō | ||||||||
| Born | Hirohito (裕仁) 29 April 1901 Tōgū Palace, Aoyama, Tokyo, Empire of Japan | ||||||||
| Died | 7 January 1989 (aged 87) Fukiage Palace, Tokyo, Japan | ||||||||
| Burial | 24 February 1989 Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo | ||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||
| Issue | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Imperial House of Japan | ||||||||
| Father | Emperor Taishō | ||||||||
| Mother | Sadako Kujō | ||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||
Hirohito was the head of state under the Meiji Constitution during Japan's imperial expansion, militarization, and involvement in World War II. Japan waged a war across Asia in the 1930s and 40s in the name of Hirohito,[3] who was revered as a god.[4] After Japan's surrender, he was not prosecuted for war crimes, as General Douglas MacArthur thought that an ostensibly cooperative emperor would help establish a peaceful Allied occupation, and help the U.S. achieve their postwar objectives.[5] His role during the war remains controversial. On 1 January 1946, under pressure from the Allies, the Emperor formally renounced his divinity.[6] The Constitution of Japan of 1947 declared the Emperor to be a mere "symbol of the State ... deriving his position from the will of the people in whom resides sovereign power."[6]
In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name; reigning emperors are known only as "the Emperor". Hirohito is now referred to in Japanese by his posthumous name, Shōwa, which is the name of the era coinciding with his reign.