According to Japanese legends and in particular according to the "Kojiki" epic Jimmu was the great-grandson of the sun goddess and therefore he himself is considered not only the founder of the Japanese state, but also the second after the celestial. With the help of divine origin, the rulers of ancient Japan tried to exalt the imperial power and unite the country. Just as the Japanese Empire claims the title of the oldest state on Earth, so the imperial house of Japan can rightfully claim to be the oldest in the world. If you believe the legends, the current dynasty has ruled the Land of the Rising Sun for more than 2,600 years. Such longevity can only be envied. The ruling dynasties of European and other countries are much younger. The oldest in Europe - Danish, for example, traces its history to 899, i.e. is a little over 1100 years old.
However, historians have serious doubts about the existence of the first 25 Japanese emperors. The first emperor whose existence is documented was Keitai (507-531), 26th in a row. In any case, even the biggest skeptics admit that the Japanese monarchy is at least one and a half thousand years old, which still makes it the oldest on the planet. Its very beautiful name - the Chrysanthemum Japanese throne received at the end of the 19th century, when the imperial seal was adopted with a carved on her yellow chrysanthemum, a flower with 16 petals. Until that time, the list of Japanese emperors numbered 121 names. Incl. and 8 women. Of the 120 rulers of Japan, only two ruled twice. By a strange coincidence, these were the empresses: Cooken (Shotoku during the second reign) and Kougyoku Saimei.
Of course, not all emperors from the long list of divine rulers of the Land of the Rising Sun had real power. Some may well be called absolute rulers, others were puppets in the hands of the shoguns. At first, this title was given by the emperors to influential princes who led the army to wage some kind of war or suppress the uprising of peasants or impostors. Later, the title of shogun received a broader interpretation. The most influential princes of the most powerful families were called shoguns, who were considered something like the first ministers, guardians of the state or heads of the imperial chancellery, i.e. were the second persons in Japan. Often they ruled instead of weak emperors... The era of the shogunate lasted almost seven centuries and ended in 1867 with the accession to the throne of the emperor Meiji... The last shogun was Yoshinobu of kind Tokugawa.
State symbol
The last emperor of old Japan was Komei (1846-67). Who succeeded him on the throne Meiji became the first emperor of modern, according to generally accepted chronology, Japan. He ruled for almost half a century - from 1867 to 1912 and carried out major reforms that allowed Japan, which for many centuries pursued a policy of isolation from outside world, quickly become one of the world powers. The significance of Meiji is also evidenced by the fact that historians named a whole period in the history of the country after him. Under Meiji in 1889, a constitution was adopted based on the constitutions of Western countries. She became the first not only in Japan, but throughout East Asia. The emergence of a new world power took place at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and was accompanied by victorious wars: the Japanese-Chinese and Russian-Japanese, as well as the annexation of Taiwan and Korea.
Japanese emperors, unlike their European counterparts, never had surnames. By this, they obviously wanted to emphasize the divinity of their origin and government. And although the Japanese emperors lost their divinity after the adoption of a new constitution in 1947, the tradition remained. The last divine emperor was Hirohito, the father of the current "symbol of the state and the unity of the people," as the monarch is called in the constitution. Hirohito also left a big mark in the history of the country. He ruled for 63 (!) Years and became the last ruler of Japan to wield real power. Together with the Japanese people, he had to endure two wars, defeat in World War II and a difficult period of rebuilding the destroyed country.
The 1947 Constitution took away not only divine origin from the emperors, but also deprived them of real power. For the past seven decades, Japan has been about the same empire as the United Kingdom, in which kings and queens play a ceremonial role.
An oasis of peace and quiet
The imperial family has lived for a century and a half in the Koiko Palace, in the very center of the multimillion-dollar bustling Tokyo. There, behind moats filled with water and high stone walls, an oasis of peace and quiet is hidden, where about 70 species of birds live in parks, gardens and groves.
The palace is located on the site of the medieval Edo castle, which was considered the largest on the planet (there were 99 gates in it). In the walls of the palace, towers and gates, you can still see rare stones left over from Edo. As conceived by the shogun Yeasu Tokugawa, the first ruler to unite all of Japan, Koiko was to become the economic and political center of the nation.
The construction of the palace took over a century. In 1710, it was the largest residential complex on the islands, occupying almost 20 square meters. km. Koiko became the royal palace much later. After the surrender of the last shogun in Koiko in 1868, Emperor Meiji moved from Kyoto. During World War II, Koiko's palace was badly damaged by American bombing. It was restored to its original form by 1968. The Imperial Palace is still the largest residential complex in the country today. There are more than a thousand servants here! FROM Coyo Guyenne, a huge square in front of the palace, offers a stunning view of Niyubashi, two beautiful bridges through which you can get to the inner chambers. Niubashi is the most photographed place in Japan.
Tourists have access to the Eastern Garden. It is especially beautiful in March and April, when cherries and plums are in bloom. Ordinary mortals can enter the palace itself only twice a year: December 23, the birthday of the emperor Akihito, and January 2, New Year's Day. Visitors can see the emperor and family members step out onto the balcony several times.
Women on the sidelines
Now on the Chrysanthemum throne sits Akihito, the fourth emperor of modern Japan and the 125th in succession, the eldest son of Hirohito. He ascended the throne on January 7, 1989 after the death of his father and celebrated the 25th anniversary of his reign in the first days of the year. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have three children: two sons - the crown prince Naruhito, who will turn 54 in less than two weeks, and the prince Akishino (Fumihito) and also a daughter - a princess Sayako.
The emperor is 80 years old. His health is poor. In 2012, he underwent heart surgery; 9 years earlier, a prostate tumor was removed. Four doctors monitor the health of the emperor and empress in shifts 24 hours a day. The courtyard has a closed polyclinic with 8 wards and 42 doctors and nurses, which costs more than $ 3 million of Japanese taxpayers every year. It has everything except the queues. The record, according to the doctors themselves, was once 28 patients in one day.
Akihito's health is poor, but the inheritance situation in Japan remains confusing. The 1947 law confirmed the 1889 law prohibiting the transfer of the throne through the female line. Meanwhile, the crown prince only has a daughter. All attempts by his wife, Princess Masako, to give birth to an heir were unsuccessful, as a result of which she basically had a severe nervous breakdown, which she has been treating for several years without much success.
In 2005, a group of experts submitted to the government a proposal to repeal the Salik law. Early 2006 premiered Junichiro Koizumi promised to send the law to parliament. However, there was no need to repeal the old law. Existed since 2001, the year of birth Aiko, daughter of the crown prince, the potential dynastic crisis resolved itself. The second son of the emperor, the prince Akishino, after two daughters, a son was finally born in September 2006, the first male child in the imperial family in 40 years. Formally a prince Hisahito is now the third in the list of candidates for the Chrysanthemum throne, after his uncle and father.
Over 70 years, the position of women in Japanese society has changed significantly. Nevertheless, the Japanese government is in no hurry to repeal the male succession law. Shinzo Abe during his first premiership in 2007, he announced that he was withdrawing the proposal to amend the Law of the Imperial House, and he would hardly change anything now. Understanding the government is not difficult. Firstly, the second son of the emperor has an heir, and secondly, the prime minister, obviously, hopes for the longevity of both Akihito and Naruhito and wants to pass the abolition of the salic law onto descendants.
HIROHITO (b. 29.4.1901, Tokyo), since 1926 Emperor of Japan (124th), colonel of the army and captain of the fleet (1926). During World War II, he was the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Japan, headed the headquarters. Before Japan's defeat in the war, he had full state power. His cult (tennoism) was intensively implanted in the country, which was used by the ruling circles to incite fanaticism and chauvinism among the people, as well as among the servicemen of the imperial army and navy. With the entry into force of the 1947 constitution, X. was declared a "symbol of the state."
Used materials of the Soviet military encyclopedia.
Hirohito (1901-1989), 124th emperor of Japan. Born at the Aoyama Palace in Tokyo on April 29, 1901. Son of Emperor Yoshihito. The upbringing of Hirohito was entrusted to Count and Countess Kawamura in accordance with the Japanese tradition, which prescribes the education of the imperial offspring in a family free from the influence of the palace. This family was also entrusted with the care of Prince Chichibu, Hirohito's younger brother. When Hirohito was five years old, he and his brother returned to the palace. At the age of eight, Hirohito went to the Peers' School. Hirohito proved to be a capable student, showing an interest in biology, geography, and history. In 1912, after the death of his grandfather, Emperor Mutsuhito, Hirohito became heir to the throne. He received further education at the Institute of Crown Princes. Upon graduation from the Institute in 1921, it was decided that Hirohito should undertake a long trip to Asia and Europe. Until that moment, no future emperor had visited Western countries. During the trip, which lasted from March to September 1921, Hirohito proved himself to be a democratic and intelligent person. Upon his return, he learned that his father's health had fallen badly, and in November 1921, as Prince Regent, the affairs of the state were entrusted to him. On January 26, 1924, Hirohito married Princess Nagako Kuni. After Yoshihito's death on December 25, 1926, Hirohito became emperor. He officially ascended the throne in November 1928, adopting the name Showa, which means "Enlightened World". After surrender Of Japan in World War II, the Allies allowed the emperor to retain his title. On January 1, 1946, just ten years after his title was changed to Dai Nippon Teikoku Tenno, which means Emperor, Son of Heaven in Omnipotent Japan, Hirohito renounced his divine origin in an address to the people. In 1962, he published the first of several of his books on marine biology, which he studied long and seriously. In 1971, Hirohito toured Europe. In 1975 he paid an official visit to the United States. Hirohito died at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on January 7, 1989.
Used materials of the Encyclopedia "Krugosvet" - http://www.krugosvet.ru
Photo from the book: The 20th century a chronicle in pictures. New York. 1989.
HIROHITO (Hirohito), Showa (29.4.1901, Tokyo -7.1.1989, ibid.), 124th emperor (sumera-mikoto) of Japan. The eldest of the 4 sons of Emperor Yoshihito (Taisho). Since 1915, his tutor was the prominent statesman Sai-onji Kimmochi; in childhood X. was fond of natural sciences and the biology of the sea. Graduated from the Gakushuin Lyceum. In nov. 1916 is officially declared heir to the throne. The first of the members of the imperial family of Japan made a trip (March - September 1921) to Western Europe, visiting Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy. At the end of 1921, due to the illness of his father, he was proclaimed Prince Regent. In Jan. 1924 married Princess Nagako (eldest daughter of Prince Kuniyoshi). After the death of his father on 12/24/1926 he ascended the throne. Until 1945, according to the Meiji Constitution (1889), he had absolute power in the country - legislative, executive, judicial, military - and was revered as "special sacred and inviolable." He possessed tremendous sacred power, worshiped by the Japanese as a deity. The cult of the emperor in Japan has become one of the main components of the life of Japanese society. By tradition, the emperor in Japan presided over all meetings of the cabinet of ministers, but did not participate in the discussions and only gave approval for one decision or another (usually the emperor voted on all decisions of the cabinet). Nevertheless, all specific cases were handled by the government, as well as the genro, an unofficial advisory body made up of the largest retired state and court officials. For X, only the general leadership of Japan remained. At 16h on 1.12.1941 he announced his decision to start military operations against the United States. 8/8/1945 - after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the entry into the war against Japan by the USSR - approved the proposal of Prime Minister K. Suzuki to decide on the unconditional surrender of Japan. The only condition for Japan was that the allies guarantee the preservation of the monarchy. On 8/14/1945 he recorded an appeal to his subjects for the radio (aired the next day), announcing the need to stop the war and Japan's acceptance of unconditional surrender - "to accept the unacceptable, endure the intolerable." This was the first time japanese emperor to the people. After the surrender of the question, the left-wing forces demanded to proclaim Japan a republic and to bring X to justice. However, the American occupation administration decided to preserve the monarchy in Japan by democratizing it. On 1 January 1946, in pursuance of these agreements, X publicly renounced his divine origin. The new status of the emperor was enshrined in the 1947 Constitution, according to which the emperor was proclaimed "a symbol of the state and the unity of the people." He died after a long illness. After the death of X. his eldest son, Prince Akihito, ascended the throne.
"When a society is prosperous, the people are happy." This Chinese dictum formed the basis for the name of the 124th emperor of Japan - Hirohito. During his reign, which lasted from 1926 to 1989, the Land of the Rising Sun experienced the glory of the largest colonial power, humiliation of surrender and transformation into one of the leaders of the world economy. The image of the emperor himself underwent no less amazing metamorphoses. He was considered a god, then a war criminal, and he ended his earthly journey "a symbol of the state and the unity of the people."
Hirohito was born to Crown Prince Yoshihito and Princess Sadako on April 21, 1901. For Japan, this was a difficult time: she made desperate efforts to ward off the threat of enslavement by the great powers that began to actively colonize Northeast Asia. For the first time, this threat clearly faced Japan in 1854, when American Admiral Matthew Colbright Perry came to its shores with a squadron of steam cruisers and forced the samurai who ruled the country to sign an agreement with the United States. This treaty opened the ports of Hakodate and Shimoda for American merchants and put an end to the samurai's policy of voluntary self-isolation, which allowed the country to maintain its identity and independence for a long time. A number of unequal treatiesthat actually limited its sovereignty. This caused outrage in the society. The aristocracy, which ceded power to the samurai centuries ago, took advantage of this outrage and began a struggle to restore the power of the emperor, turned by military rulers into a decorative figure. The struggle ended in victory for the supporters of the young Emperor Meiji, who ascended the throne at the age of 15 in 1867. To consolidate his success, he carried out a series of radical reforms, named after him the "Meiji revolution". The samurai were eliminated as an estate. And according to the constitution, adopted in 1889, the emperor is "a divine messenger of heaven surrounded by a halo of holiness." And it descends directly from the Sun Goddess Amaterasu - therefore the Japanese Empire is under the protection of Shinto deities.
Emperor Meiji
However, the protection of the gods alone was not enough to protect the country from the encroachments of the great powers. Japan began to actively master the achievements western culture, science and technology, using them in the creation of industry and the modernization of the army and navy. And to pursue an expansionist foreign policy on the principle of "beat your own so that others are afraid." The successful war with China in 1894-1895 and the annexation of Taiwan brought the glory of Emperor Meiji to the skies. Probably, it was this person (or rather, the stories about his deeds) who had the most big influence on the formation of the worldview of Crown Prince Hirohito.
From childhood, the prince began to prepare for the fact that he would have to rule the country. Earlier, when Japan was ruled by samurai, all science for future emperors who performed decorative and representative functions was reduced to studying the rules of etiquette, Confucian texts and memorizing Shinto prayers. Hirohito studied mathematics, physics, economics, law, French and Chinese, ethics, history and calligraphy. And also, as the future high priest of the state religion - Shinto rituals. And as the future ruler - the teachings of Confucius. And as the future supreme commander - the bushido code (the way of the warrior) and many modern military disciplines. Among his military mentors there were many participants in the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905, having won which Japan proved to the whole world that in no case should it be considered an object of possible colonization.
Empress with her son
In addition to generals and admirals, Hirohito's teachers were the leading scientists of the Imperial University of Tokyo.
Professor Shigetake Sugiura inspired Hirohito: the heirs of the Japanese throne have absolute moral perfection, therefore the Japanese monarchy is immeasurably higher than the monarchies of other states. The course of world history is determined by the rivalry between the white and yellow races, and in the future the white race will still throw down its challenge to the yellow. Hirohito's views on the role of the monarch in japanese history formed by the teacher of jurisprudence Toru Shimizu. He convinced the prince that the emperor is not obliged to follow anyone's advice, since he stands not only above parliament, but also above the constitution.
Hirohito was tuned in to the fact that he would become the successor of the great achievements of his grandfather, Emperor Meiji. And they resembled a lesson from Russian history: Tsar Peter the First laid the foundations Russian Empire, but his heirs could not continue the work he had begun, which led to a coup d'état in 1917.
Emperor Hirohito as a child
As a child, according to the reviews of guardians and educators, Hirohito was brooding and phlegmatic. True, behind the phlegmatic nature was hidden, not alien to passions. Hirohito's determination during his school years was manifested in his passion for science. A taste for her was instilled in the prince by his teacher of natural history and physics, Hirotaro Hattori. He encouraged Hirohito's interest in marine biology and taxonomy - the taxonomy of plants and animals. In 1925, the prince equipped a well-equipped biological laboratory in his palace. The pursuit of science was not only consistent with Hirohito's methodical nature. They taught the future emperor to be a free thinker, able to perceive someone else's point of view.
On the whole, he was well prepared to stand at the head of the nation. But his first appearances after reaching the age of majority in May 1919 revealed a number of features not quite befitting a future monarch. A high, harsh voice, a dislike for public speaking, and a puny physique were perceived by some as obvious shortcomings. But behind this "non-secular" façade was a strong personality, already fully aware of himself as the future ruler of the country.
Emperor Hirohito at school age
In January 1920, in an essay on his impressions of the conclusion of the Versailles Peace Treaty in Europe, Hirohito wrote:
"I look forward to the day when I take on the great responsibility of making and making political decisions."
Answering himself to the question of what he must do in order to "fulfill his duty and establish peace in the world," Hirohito derived the following formula: Japan will be a great colonial power, on equal terms, but respectfully talking to others. And for this it must strengthen its military power.
Hirohito first showed his character, overcoming the resistance of a part of the courtiers and insisting on his marriage to Princess Nagako (their wedding took place on January 26, 1924). And then - when, after the birth of the heir (December 15, 1924), he broke the age-old tradition of giving children to foster parents for upbringing. And in addition, he abandoned the imperial concubines.
They started talking about him as the "brainchild of Taisha democracy" - a strange era that began in Japan after the death of Hirohito's grandfather, Emperor Meiji, on June 30, 1912. Hirohito's father, Yoshihito, ascended the throne, who immediately received the name Taise. He began his reign by increasing the staff of court doctors. His weakness and apathy provoked the courtiers, ministers and generals to disobey, and the people to demand democratic reforms. In the early 1920s, he completely retired, and Hirohito became regent. In conditions of political confusion in the country and the struggle of various groups for influence on the throne, Hirohito preferred to rely on the military. In 1925, he approved the creation of a high military command completely independent of civilian control. The Japanese armed forces began to fulfill the task assigned to them in accordance with the military doctrine of 1923: to prepare for war on the Asian continent.
Emperor Hirohito on the road
Emperor Taise died on December 25, 1926. Three days later, Hirohito ascended the throne, becoming the 124th emperor of Japan. The new era that had come in the empire was called Seva - radiance, harmony, a shining world. In mid-November 1927 throughout Japan, including its overseas territories - Korea, Taiwan and South Sakhalin, celebrations were held on the occasion of the ceremony of enthronement of Hirohito. “In the emerging era, Japan has a global mission. Our country is called to rule the world, ”wrote Japanese newspapers in those days.
The opinion of the "global mission" of Japan was also shared by the court group of aristocrats, which was rapidly gaining political weight. The tone in it was set by Prince Fumimaro Konoe, a supporter of the creation in Asia of a kind of superstate under the rule of Japan, which, due to racial, historical and geographical factors, is simply obliged to annex China - for the benefit of its own population.
Hirohito, on the other hand, still complied with the international agreements signed by Japan on the renunciation of war as a means of resolving conflicts and on limiting the size of the Japanese fleet. This aroused the discontent of the radical young officers, who believed that Hirohito was a toy in the hands of some "Jewish government" that perverted his will. In the early 1930s, they made several attempts to carry out a coup d'etat and establish a military-fascist dictatorship. The conspirators were invariably arrested by the police, but Hirohito did not punish any of them. How did the command of the Kwantung Army, which had guarded the Chinese Eastern Railway, which belonged to Japan since 1905, did not punish for the invasion of Manchuria and the creation of the pro-Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo there? He only took a number of measures to prevent the military from coming to political power.
Emperor Hirohito and Empress with her son
Feeling impunity and regarding it as de facto support from the emperor, some of the radical officers in February 1936 revolted in Tokyo. One of its reasons was the dissatisfaction of the radicals in uniform with the results of the just passed parliamentary elections, where the candidates of the left-wing parties that opposed the militarization of the country achieved great success. The rebels killed several high-ranking officials. Hirohito gave the order to suppress the rebellion. Although, in order not to tease the army, he ordered an increase in military appropriations. Thus, Japan's preparations for a major war in Asia intensified.
The war began in 1937 with the capture of China. Hirohito directed military operations through the Emperor's Headquarters, created on November 27, 1937, which ordered not to take prisoners and to use chemical and bacteriological weapons against the Chinese army. The war was accompanied by massacres of civilians by Japanese troops. Hirohito did not condemn these atrocities. However, despite the brutality with which the war was fought, the Japanese army could not break the resistance of Chiang Kai-shek's troops and partisan detachments Mao Zedong.
The Chinese campaign demanded more and more funds. In July 1940, the Cabinet of Ministers of Prince Konoe offered to get them in a military campaign in Southeast Asia. At the same time, in order to protect itself from an attack from the USSR, which was considered enemy number one in Tokyo, the Soviet-Japanese pact of neutrality was signed on April 13, 1941. And on July 29, Japanese troops began the occupation of South Indochina. This angered the United States, which threatened to block oil supplies to Japan. Attempts to negotiate with the Americans have led nowhere. The Japanese economy could not stand a long war against them, and Prince Konoe insisted on avoiding open confrontation with the United States. However, Hirohito took the side of those who proposed to withdraw America from the game on Pacific with one blow. On December 7, 1941, Japanese bombers suddenly attacked Pearl Harbor, the US Navy base in Hawaii. Then the Japanese troops landed on the Malay Peninsula, the islands of Oceania, Hong Kong and Singapore. By the spring of 1942, a territory of 3.8 million square kilometers with a population of almost 150 million people was in the hands of Japan. On February 18, 1942, Hirohito celebrated the victory of the fleet by racing on a white horse for ten minutes on a white horse across the Nijuboshi Bridge in Tokyo in front of crowds of enthusiastic applause of the townspeople. He was in excellent spirits these days. Evenings the emperor spent in the company of adjutants, playing chess and cards with them and telling them about his hobbies in entomology.
Emperor Hirohito with his family
However, Japan's military successes could not last indefinitely. The Americans gathered their strength and began to take away their spans and crumbs. By August 1944, they had freed most of the territories in Southeast Asia from the Japanese. The defeat of Japan was approaching. But Hirohito refused to accept it as inevitable.
"The nation needs to gather all its will into a fist and achieve a remarkable victory, which would be comparable to that won by our fathers in the Russian-Japanese war!" - he said to the deputy chief general staff Admiral Shimada June 17.
On September 7, 1944, in a rescript dedicated to the opening of the 85th session of parliament, the emperor noted: “Today the empire is faced with the acute task of achieving victory. You, the best sons of the nation, must purposefully strengthen your resolve in order to destroy the evil plans of the enemy and ensure the continued existence and prosperity of the country. "
Suicide pilots - kamikaze were thrown into the battle against the US fleet, which was inevitably approaching the shores of Japan. But the "wind of the gods" could not scatter the American squadron, as it once, in the XIII century, scattered the ships of Kublai.
In February 1945, Prince Konoe recommended Hirohito to immediately begin negotiations with the United States for peace, proving that the USSR would enter the war at the first opportunity. But the emperor was convinced that the Kremlin did not really want the defeat of Japan, which in the future could become its ally in the inevitable confrontation with the United States and Great Britain. His confidence was not shaken by reports from intelligence and Foreign Minister Shigemitsu that at the just held Yalta conference the USSR had confirmed its readiness to enter the war with Japan after the defeat of Germany.
On March 9-10, more than three hundred B-29 bombers destroyed 40% of Tokyo's city districts during a night raid. The fires killed from 80 to 100 thousand people. The morale of the Tokyo population began to decline. On April 8, Hirohito called on the kamikaze pilots "to dispel the mad ambitions of hostile states into the smoke" and "to achieve the goals set in our holy war."
American bombing raids continued; bombs were already falling on the territory of the imperial court. On June 8, the Marquis of Koichi Kido began preparing an appeal to the USSR asking for mediation in the armistice negotiations between Japan and the United States. However, on July 26, 1945, in the Potsdam Declaration, the USA, USSR and Great Britain demanded unconditional surrender from Japan.
This document was ignored in Tokyo. Hirohito hoped that Moscow would help him achieve less ultimatum conditions for surrender - first of all, guarantees of preserving the traditional monarchical system. But Stalin refused the role of mediator. He was not seduced by the promise of the Japanese to provide him with oil concessions in Northern Sakhalin in exchange for this service. Allies for entering the war against Japan promised him more important trophies.
Refusal to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration was perceived in Washington as a desire to continue the war. To break the resistance of the Japanese, on August 6, the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. On August 8, the USSR entered the war against Japan. August 9 followed atomic bombriding of Nagasaki.
At a meeting with the emperor on August 9-10, the opinions expressed by the ministers were contradictory. The retired Admiral Suzuki, whom Hirohito personally instructed at the end of June to negotiate peace, asked the emperor to speak out. Hirohito's answer was unequivocal: “Let's endure the unbearable and suffer what is impossible to suffer ... Having carefully analyzed the current situation in the world, as well as the internal situation of our country, I came to the conclusion that it is difficult to continue the war. I am not concerned with what will become of me, but I want all my subjects to be saved. "
On August 10, Togo Foreign Minister Shigenori summoned to his residence on Kasumigaseki soviet ambassador Yakov Malik and informed him of the Japanese government's readiness to capitulate. The USSR immediately notified the governments of the USA, Great Britain and China about this.
Not wanting to surrender, part of the Japanese generals rebelled. But he was suppressed, and on August 15, Japan announced that it accepts the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. On the same day, Emperor Hirohito spoke to his subjects for the first time on the radio. He informed them that he "accepts the conditions set out in their joint declaration" in order to "save human civilization from total annihilation" and "pave the way for future generations to lasting peace." Not a word was said about military defeat and surrender.
Emperor Hirohito with ministers in a bunker during the war
The emperor's speech was accompanied by acts of suicide of high-ranking officials, politicians and generals. In the government office, archival documents were destroyed, testifying to Japan's war crimes and the responsibility of state leaders for the war.
Japan began to prepare for an event unprecedented in its history - the meeting of the occupying forces. In his radio address to the citizens of the country, Prince Higashikuni, appointed by the Prime Minister, tried to outline the future prospects for them: “Acting in full accord with the will of the emperor, we ... will create the world's most advanced science and culture ... In conclusion, I would like to express my support for the broadest and most constructive exchange of views. The government will welcome the creation of any associations that are ready to serve the interests of society. "
Even before the landing of American troops in Japan, Hirohito began disarming and demobilizing 7 million army and navy personnel. On December 5, 1945, in a written response to a parliamentary inquiry, the British government explained: “It was not the atomic bomb that led to the surrender of Japan, but the imperial rescript ordering the Japanese to do this. Without him, we would have a costly invasion ... If we were to bring the emperor to justice, we would immediately face seventy million hostile rather than cooperating Japanese. "
On August 30, General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the Allied Allied Forces in the war against Japan, arrived in Tokyo and was assigned to lead the occupation administration. And on September 2, Japan signed an act of surrender.
It was necessary to decide what to do with Emperor Hirohito. Stalin demanded to declare him a war criminal and hang him. Great Britain, New Zealand and the left forces of Japan demanded the same. Similar calls were made in the US Senate. On September 27, MacArthur and Hirohito met.
In his memoirs, General Douglas MacArthur recalled: “I had the unpleasant feeling that he could ask for his own case to prevent him from being prosecuted as a war criminal ... But my fears were unfounded. He said the following: "I have come to you, General MacArthur, to offer myself to the court of the powers that you represent, as the one who is solely responsible for every political and military decision and for all actions taken by my people during the course of the war." ...
MacArthur, supreme commander of the Allied forces, was decisive: “When Washington seemed to be leaning towards the British point of view, I indicated that I would need an increase in troop strength by at least a million if such action was taken. I believed that if the emperor were brought to justice and possibly hanged as a war criminal, a military administration would have to be established throughout Japan and a guerrilla war would probably have developed. "
Nevertheless, calls to hold the emperor accountable for unleashing the war did not cease. MacArthur insisted that Hirohito was not actually the ruler of Japan. On January 25, 1946, in a telegram to Dwight D. Eisenhower, he said: “To date, no documentary evidence has been found of the participation of Emperor Hirohito in the development and adoption of political decisions over the past ten years. As a result of the analysis of very numerous data, I came to the conclusion that the role of the monarch in the management of state affairs was purely auxiliary and was reduced to acquaintance with the opinions of his advisers ... "
This version was greatly shaken when the Tokyo Tribunal over Japanese war criminals began. The main defendant on it was the prime minister of the wartime Hideki Tojo. On December 28, in response to a question from his lawyer William Logan: “Do you remember at least one case when Kido (the Marquis of Koichi Kido, like Prince Konoe, was a member of the circle of the emperor's secret advisers) proposed anything or acted contrary to the emperor's desire for peace ? " - Tojo replied, “As far as I know, this has never happened. None of the Japanese subjects, not to mention the highest government officials, will go against the will of the emperor. "
Hirohito's advisers, who visited Tojo at Sugamo Prison, and US chief prosecutor Joseph Keenan persuaded the former prime minister to change his testimony. However, the court had already formed the opinion that Hirohito could not stand aside from the declaration of war.
MacArthur again contacted Washington: “The verdict against the emperor will lead the Japanese society to the deepest emotional shock ... Hirohito is the unifying symbol of the nation, without him this ethnic community will disintegrate. In my opinion, it is likely that the development of events according to such a scenario will end with the dispatch here to maintain the order of a million of our soldiers - for an indefinite period ... "He convinced the US leadership that the occupation authorities needed the emperor to maintain order in Japan, whose population was ready to obey him. , as before.
In 1975, during a visit to the United States, in an interview with Newsweek magazine, Hirohito said: “I personally made the decision to end the war ... But the decision to open hostilities was made by the cabinet, I had no authority to cancel it. I believe that my actions were in full compliance with the Japanese constitution ... "
The monarchy was retained, but they decided to "democratize". On January 1, 1946, Hirohito publicly, albeit in a very ornate manner, renounced his divine origin. Then the emperor was "demoted" from the gods in the new constitution of Japan, developed under the supervision of Admiral MacArthur, adopted by the Japanese parliament on August 24, 1946 and entered into force on May 3, 1947. In it, he was proclaimed only as a symbol - "a symbol of the state and the unity of the people." The emperor was removed from participation in politics, leaving him with several non-burdensome representative functions. Now he could devote his free time to scientific pursuits in his biological laboratory, equipped in the imperial palace back in 1925.
Emperor Hirohito. One of the last photos
In the mid-1950s, the newly formed Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, in which right-wing parties united in the face of threats from the socialists and communists, began a campaign to return the emperor to the status of head of state and half of the powers that he was vested with under the Meiji constitution. The campaign, however, quickly died out.
Only the ultra-right spoke openly about the restoration of the former empire. True, the matter, as a rule, did not go further than talk. The only real act in the name of the emperor was accomplished by Yukio Mishima, known not only for his books and films, but also for his nationalist views. On November 25, 1970, together with the soldiers of the Tate no kai (Shield Society) group he created, he tried to incite the soldiers of the Tokyo garrison to rebel in order to restore the emperor's power. But his calls to protect the Japanese traditions of the emperor were answered by soldiers with ridicule. Realizing that the coup had failed, Mishima committed ritual suicide seppuku, opening his stomach. Some of the members of the government, learning about the incident, said that Mishima was "crazy." But the ultra-right, who previously did not give Mishima a penny, recorded him as a hero and martyr of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe revival of Great Japan. Japan, which dreamed of those who were sentenced to death by the Tokyo Tribunal for war crimes.
Hirohito died on January 7, 1989 at 6.33 am. He was left with a prosperous Japan, five daughters and two sons. The eldest son Akihito after the death of his father became Emperor Heisei. This word is translated as "peace and prosperity". Ironically, it was in the early 1990s that the prosperity in the Japanese economy temporarily gave way to stagnation. Peace and tranquility left the souls of the Japanese. This is probably why they increasingly began to think about their former greatness. About the humiliation to which the nation was subjected by the American occupation authorities, who imposed their own, far from Japanese values. Isn't it time to get back to basics? - started talking in Japan. And, apparently, they decided that it was time. And they recently adopted a draft amendment to the constitution, according to which the emperor is again transformed from a symbol into the head of state. And the school director was put on trial for showing disrespect for the imperial Japanese anthem "Kimigaya". What will happen next?
Hirohito Emperor Showa was born on April 29, 1901 in Tokyo, Japan. The boy was born into the family of Crown Prince Yeshihito, who later became Emperor and Princess Sadako. His Childhood Title: Prince Mitya. He became the heir to the throne after the death of his grandfather, Emperor Meiji on July 30, 1912. He received the title of Crown Prince on November 2, 1916.
According to their status, primary education Michi received in kazoku, where the prince met with representatives of many influential families, who later became loyal servants of the emperor. Further training took place at the personal University of the Crown Prince, where Hirohito studied military skills, learned the experience of the Western powers.
Returning from a trip abroad, Hirohito faced a serious illness of his father, in connection with which the reins of government as regent passed to the future emperor. The position of the crown prince also required a wife of a high family for Mitya. She was the charming Nagako, the daughter of Prince Kiniyoshi.
In 1926 he died after a prolonged illness of Yoshikhoto and on December 26, 1926, Prince Michi officially took office as Emperor under the name of Seva. First thing new emperor took up the improvement of the military infrastructure and the military complex as a whole. The foreshadowing of a new global conflict was in the air, and Hirohito must prepare the country for the impending thunderstorm.
Before 1944, there were at least sixty-four incidents in the internal and foreign policywhen right-wing political forces used violence to achieve their goals, the most significant of which was the assassination of Japanese Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi. From that time on, the military had almost complete control over the entire political life of Japan, which led Japan to join first the Second Sino-Japanese War, and then the Second World War.
In the beginning, everything went well for the Japanese army. Soon the initiative passed to the allies, after which the members of the government began to misinform Hirohito about the state of affairs.
In 1945, the situation became critical, due to the defeat of Germany on all fronts. The Japanese generals sought to continue the war, despite the increasing losses in personnel and the retreat from previously captured positions.
During this difficult period, the emperor showed composure and once again broke the tradition of silence. He personally offered to negotiate with the USSR, which could become a mediator in peace negotiations. Stalin announced that he would agree to make a deal only under conditions of complete surrender, to which even Hirohito was not ready, let alone members of the government.
The delay of the Japanese leaders led to a US nuclear strike, after which the government agreed to surrender. The emperor issued a corresponding decree, on the same day, unsuccessful attempt coup of the remaining military elite. Hirohito on August 15, 1945 made a speech to the people, in which he admitted complete defeat in the war.
In Japan, the occupation administration of General MacArthur was established, while the emperor continued to perform formal leadership functions. During the Tokyo Tribunal, there were even demands for the execution of the emperor, but the general persuaded the world community to refrain from harsh and hasty actions. Still, the emperor served as a symbol of the unity of the entire nation and the guarantor of Japan's peaceful coexistence.
Hirohito had to renounce the divine origins of the Japanese monarchs and approve a new constitution in 1946. Despite the loss of status, Hirohito actively participated in the life of the Japanese people until the end of his life. In addition, his overseas trips with the imperial family restored diplomatic confidence in the state.
In his personal life, he was fond of marine biology and, back in the 1920s, organized a scientific laboratory in the imperial palace, in which he conducted research and published several works on this topic.
Japanese Emperor Hirohito passed away on January 7, 1989. Buried in the imperial mausoleum of the capital. The eldest son Akihito after the death of his father became Emperor Heisei.
Hirohito's awards
Japan awards
Sovereign of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
Sovereign of the Order of the Rising Sun
Sovereign of the Order of the Golden Kite
Sovereign of the Order of the Sacred Treasure
Awards of foreign countries
Belgium - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I
Brunei - Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Brunei SPMB
Germany - Knight Grand Cross of the Special Class of the Order of Merit for the Federal Republic of Germany
Brazil - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
Norway - Knight Grand Cross on the chain of the Order of St. Olaf
Greece - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Savior
Greece - Knight Grand Cross on the chain of the Royal Dynastic Order of Saints George and Constantine
Sweden Knight of the Order of the Seraphim
Poland - Knight Commander of the Order of the White Eagle
Denmark - Knight Commander of the Order of the Elephant
Spain - Knight Commander of the Order of the Golden Fleece
United Kingdom - Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Great Britain - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
United Kingdom - Knight Commander of the Order of the Garter
Finland - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose
Thailand - Knight Commander of the Order of Rajamitrabhorn
Italy - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit for the Italian Republic decorated with a ribbon
Hirohito family
Wife - Princess Nagako (March 6, 1903 - June 16, 2000), daughter of Prince Kuni-no-miya Kuniyoshi. 7 children were born from this marriage:
Princess Teru (Shigeko) December 9, 1925 - July 23, 1961 from October 10, 1943, she was married to Prince Morihito (May 6, 1916 - February 1, 1969), the eldest son of Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko and Princess Toshiko, the 8th daughter of Emperor Meiji; lost their status as members of the imperial family on October 14, 1947.
Princess Hisa (Sachiko) September 10, 1927 - March 8, 1928.
Princess Taka (Kazuko) September 30, 1929 - May 26, 1989 Since May 5, 1950 she has been married to Takatsukasa Toshimichi (August 26, 1923 - January 27, 1966), the eldest son of the peer Takatsukasa Nubusuke.
Princess Yeri (Atsuko), b. March 7, 1931; since October 10, 1952 she is married to Ikeda Takamasa (born October 21, 1927), the eldest son of the former marquis of Ikeda Nobumasa.
Crown Prince Tsugu (Akihito), later Emperor of Japan, b. December 23, 1933; Since April 10, 1959, he has been married to Seda Michiko (born October 20, 1934), the eldest daughter of businessman Seda Hidesaburo, former president and chairman of a large flour milling company.
Prince Yoshi (Masahito)), b. November 28, 1935; Since October 30, 1964, he has been married to Tsugaru Hanako (born July 19, 1940), the fourth daughter of the former Count Tsugaru Yoshitaki.
Princess Suga (Takako), b. March 2, 1939; since March 3, 1960 married to Shimazu Hisanaga, son of the former Count Shimazu Hisanori.
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And kihito(Japanese; December 23, 1933, Tokyo) - the reigning emperor of Japan, 125th in the dynasty. His posthumous name will be Heisei.
Akihito is the eldest son and fifth child of Emperor Showa (Hirohito) and Empress Nagako. Prince Akihito attended the Gakushuin School of Peers from 1940 to 1952. Along with the traditional Japanese mentor of the imperial family, S. Koizumi, the prince also had an American teacher, Elizabeth Gray Vining, a well-known author of children's books, who helped the prince to study of English language and western culture.
In 1952, the prince entered the Politics Department of the Faculty of Politics and Economics of Gakushuin University, in November of the same year he was officially declared Crown Prince.
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The university was successfully graduated in March 1956, and in April 1959 the crown prince married Shoda Michiko, the eldest daughter of Shoda Hidesaburo, president of a large flour milling company. Thus, centuries-old traditions were violated, requiring members of the imperial family to choose their wives from girls of exclusively aristocratic origin.
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And Empress Michiko(born October 20, 1934, Tokyo, Japan), née Michiko Shoda - Empress of Japan since January 7, 1989, wife of the current Emperor of Japan Akihito.
Two members of the Michiko family were awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, the highest academic honor bestowed by the emperor for distinguished scholars.
She met Crown Prince Akihito on the tennis court. The wedding took place on April 10, 1959.
Despite the need to participate in many official events, Akihito and Michiko raised three children on their own: sons Naruhito and Akishino; and daughter Sayako.
After the death of Emperor Hirohito Michiko, as the wife of the new Emperor Akihito, received the title of Empress of Japan.
Michiko plays the piano and harp, and enjoys embroidery and knitting. In addition, she is interested in literature and flowers.
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N aruhito(Japanese February 23, 1960, Tokyo) - The eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Crown Prince of Japan. He became heir to the throne after the death of Emperor Showa (Hirohito) on January 7, 1989.
In 1983-85 he studied in England at Merton College, Oxford. Has a master's degree historical sciencesfrom Gakushuin University in 1988. In his free time, the prince plays the viola, loves jogging, loves hiking, and also goes in for mountaineering.
The prince courted and proposed twice to 29-year-old Owada Masako, who was a diplomat at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs under her fatherOwada Hisashi, who is currently a judge at the UN International Court of Justice and was previously Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Japan's Ambassador to the United Nations. ... On January 19, 1993, the engagement was announced.
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On June 9, 1993, the Crown Prince of Japan and Owada Masako were married at the Imperial Shinto Shrine in Tokyo in front of 800 invited guests and 500 million people worldwide watching them through the media. Many of the crowned heads and most of the heads of state of Europe were also present at the wedding.
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M Asako Owada(December 9, 1963) - wife of Crown Prince Naruhito, first son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. A member of the Japanese Imperial Family since her marriage on June 9, 1993, Masako is the eldest daughter of Hisashi Owada. She has two younger sisters, twins Setsuko and Reiko.
Masako moved to Moscow with her parents when she was two years old, where she attended and graduated kindergarten... After returning to Japan, she studied at private school for girls Denenchofu Futaba in Tokyo with primary class up to the second year of senior high school.
Masako entered Harvard, where she received higher education with a degree in economics, as well as at Balliol College in Oakford for specialist courses in international relationsbut did not finish them. In 1986 g.
In addition to the native japanese language, Masako knows English and French, and can also speak German - Russian and Spanish.
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Only 8 years after marriage, Masako was able to give birth to her only child, Princess Aiko, born on December 1, 2001. Prior to that, all Masako's pregnancies ended in miscarriages. The surrounding people began to accuse Masako of not being able to give birth to the Heir. All this was aggravated with the birth of a daughter, who did not have the right to the throne, after which Masako's health finally deteriorated. Masako began to suffer from severe depression diagnosed as "Adaptation disorder syndrome"and has become rarely seen in public.
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Prints Akishino (Fumihito) (November 30, 1965, Tokyo) - Youngest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. He is the second in the line of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne. After his marriage in June 1990, he received the title of Akishino no miya (Prince of Akishino) and became the head of his sovereign branch of the Imperial House. After the death of his grandfather Emperor Showa (Hirohito) in January 1989, he became the second in line to the throne after his older brother Crown Prince Naruhito. ...
In April 1984, he entered the law department of Gakushuin University, where he studied law and biology. After graduating from university, Fumihito studied fish taxonomy at St John's College Oxford University in the UK from October 1988 to June 1990. In 1996 he was awarded the degree of Doctor National University for extensive research.
Prince Fumihito is a big fan of the Beatles as well as an active tennis player. As a student, Prince Fumihito was among the top ten tennis doubles players in the Kanto region.
On June 29, 1990, Prince Fumihito married Kiko Kawashima.
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K iko, princess Akishino, nee Kiko Kawashima (born September 11, 1966 at 11:40 pm (JST) in Shizuoka) is the wife of Prince Akishino, the youngest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. The daughter of a university professor, she became the second commoner to marry a member of the imperial family; her mother-in-law, Empress Michiko, was the first in 1959.
Princess Kiko is the eldest daughter of Tatsuhiko Kawashima, a professor of economics at Gakushuin University, and his wife Kazuyo Sugimoto. As a child, friends and relatives, she affectionately called Kiki. Prior to school, she lived in the United States, where her father received his Ph.D. in regional economics from Pennsylvania State University and later taught there.
Prince Akishino first proposed to Kiko Kawashima on June 26, 1986, when they were students at Gakushuin. The couple, however, did not announce their intention to get married for three years. The engagement was formally sanctioned by 10 members of the Imperial Household Council on September 12, 1989.
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The wedding took place at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on June 29, 1990. The Imperial Household Economic Council had previously granted the prince permission to create a new sovereign branch of the imperial family, and the Emperor allowed him to be titled Akishino-no-miya (Prince of Akishino) on his wedding day. After marriage, his fiancée became Her Imperial Highness Princess Akishino, known informally as Princess Kiko.
Princess Kiko continued her graduate studies in psychology with her formal duties and received her Magister Artium in Psychology in 1995. She is known for her active attention and involvement in people with deafness and as a qualified simultaneous interpreter from their sign language.
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Prince and Princess Akishino have two daughters and one son:
Princess Mako Akishino(born 23.10.1991)
Princess Kako Akishino(born 29.12.1994)
Prince Hisahito Akishino (born 6.09.2006)
Since the third child is a boy, he is a direct contender for the throne and will ultimately inherit it if Hisahito's uncle, Crown Prince Naruhito, does not produce a male heir, or if the laws of succession do not change.
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With Ayako Kuroda(born April 18, 1969 at 20.36 (JST) Tokyo), formerly Her Imperial Highness Princess Nori of Japan (Sayako) - the third child and only daughter of the Emperor of Japan Akihito and his wife Empress Michiko. She married Yoshiki Kuroda on November 15, 2005. As a result of the misalliance, she was forced to leave the aristocratic title and leave the imperial family, in accordance with the requirements of Japanese law.
Graduated from the Faculty of Japanese Language and Literature, Gakushuin University (1992). Later she was accepted as a research assistant at the Yamashina Institute of Ornithology. In 1998 she was promoted to researcher. Author of articles and academic publications on birds.
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On December 30, 2004, the Imperial Household Administration announced that Princess Nori was betrothed to Yoshiki Kuroda, a 40-year-old urban designer working in the planning department of the Tokyo city government and a longtime friend of Prince Akishino. After the wedding, which took place at noon on November 15, 2005 at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Princess Nori left the imperial family, taking the name of her husband, a man of non-aristocratic descent.
Sayako Kuroda quit her job as an ornithologist to focus on family life and eventual motherhood. Although she is no longer eligible for Imperial stipends after the wedding, she received a dowry of $ 1.3 million, according to a spokesman for the Imperial Household Office.