Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". Template:Family name hatnote Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Expand Japanese Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters". Script error: No such module "Nihongo". was a member of the Japanese imperial family and general of the army who served as prime minister of Japan from 17 August 1945 until his resignation two months later on 9 October. He is the only member of the Japanese imperial family to head a cabinet, and Japan's shortest-serving prime minister, serving for only 54 days.

Born in Kyoto, Prince Higashikuni was a son of Prince Kuni Asahiko and married Toshiko, Princess Yasu, a daughter of Emperor Meiji, thus making him an uncle-in-law of Emperor Hirohito. He graduated from the Army Academy and War College, and studied military tactics in France from 1920 to 1926. Upon his return to Japan, he was promoted to general in 1930 and held several military posts, including as commander of the General Defense Command from 1941 to 1944.

Prince Higashikuni's appointment as prime minister following the war reflected a hope that his prestige as an imperial prince would help to unite the defeated country. He presided over the signing of the surrender on 2 September 1945 and the disbandment of the armed forces before resigning in opposition to an order by the Allied occupation authorities to abolish the Peace Preservation Law. He became a commoner after the abolition of the princely houses in 1947, and later formed a Buddhist sect. He is the longest-lived of Japan's premiers, dying in 1990 at the age of 102.

Early life

Prince Naruhiko was born on 3 December 1887 in Kyoto, the ninth son of Prince Kuni Asahiko (Kuni no miya Asahiko Shinnō) and the court lady Terao Utako. His father, Prince Asahiko, was a son of Prince Fushimi Kuniie (Fushimi no miya Kuniie Shinnō), the twentieth head of the Fushimi-no-miya, the oldest of the sesshu shinnōke or cadet branches of the imperial dynasty from whom an emperor might be chosen in default of a direct heir. Prince Naruhiko was a half-brother of Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi, the father of the future Empress Kōjun, the wife of Emperor Shōwa. His other half-brothers, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko, Prince Nashimoto Morimasa, and Prince Kaya Kuninori, all formed new branches of the imperial family (ōke) during the Meiji period.

Marriage and family

Emperor Meiji granted Prince Naruhiko the title Higashikuni-no-miya and permission to start a new branch of the imperial family on 3 November 1906. Prince Naruhiko married the ninth daughter of Emperor Meiji, Toshiko, Princess Yasu (11 May 1896 – 5 March 1978), on 18 May 1915. The couple had four sons.

  1. Script error: No such module "Nihongo".; married Shigeko, Princess Teru, the eldest daughter of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun.
  2. Script error: No such module "Nihongo".; died in the Great Kantō earthquake.
  3. Script error: No such module "Nihongo".; renounced imperial title and created Marquis Awata Akitsune, 1940
  4. Script error: No such module "Nihongo".; renounced imperial title and created Count Tarama Toshihiko, 1943; relocated to Lins, São Paulo, Brazil, 1950.

Military career

File:1920 Prince Naruhito Higashikuni.jpg
Autochrome portrait by Auguste Léon, 1920

Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Army. In 1908, he graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy as a second lieutenant, was promoted to lieutenant in 1910 and to captain in 1913. In 1914, he graduated from the Army War College. He was commissioned a captain in the 29th Infantry Brigade and promoted to major in the IJA 7th Division in 1915.

Prince Higashikuni then studied military tactics at the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr and École Polytechnique in Paris France, from 1920 to 1926, during which time he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1920 and to colonel in 1926. Always somewhat of a rebel, Prince Higashikuni's behavior in Paris scandalized the Imperial Court. He had a French mistress, and enjoyed fast cars and high living. He left his wife and children in Japan, and the death of his second son did not prompt his return. In 1926, the Imperial Household Ministry dispatched a chamberlain to Paris to collect him.

Upon his return to Japan, he was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Headquarters. Promoted to major-general in August 1930 and appointed commander of the 5th Infantry Brigade (1930–1934), he was promoted to lieutenant-general in August 1934 and given command of the IJA 4th Division (1934–1937). After the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, he headed the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (1937–1938), and the IJA 2nd Army stationed in China from 1938–1939. He was promoted to general in August 1939. According to a memo discovered by historian Yoshiaki Yoshimi, Prince Higashikuni authorized the use of poison gas against the Chinese on 16 August 1938.[1] Prince Higashikuni returned to Japan in January 1939. Promoted to full general, the prince was awarded the Order of the Golden Kite, 1st Class in 1940.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Before Japan entered the Second World War, on 15 October 1941, outgoing Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe proposed Prince Higashikuni to Emperor Shōwa as his successor for prime minister.[2] Konoe believed that only a member of the Imperial Family with a distinguished military background could restrain the pro-war faction led by Generals Hajime Sugiyama, Hideki Tōjō, and Akira Mutō. Prince Higashikuni was also the choice of both Chief of Staffs of the Army and the Navy.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

However, both Emperor Shōwa and the Lord Privy Seal, Kido Kōichi, believed that it would be inappropriate for a member of the Imperial Family to serve in that position, as he could be blamed for anything which went wrong in the war. Thus, two days later, the Emperor chose army minister General Hideki Tōjō as prime minister. In 1946, he explained this decision: "I actually thought Prince Higashikuni suitable as Chief of Staff of the Army; but I think the appointment of a member of the Imperial house to a political office must be considered very carefully. Above all, in time of peace this is fine, but when there is a fear that there may even be a war, then more importantly, considering the welfare of the imperial house, I wonder about the wisdom of a member of the Imperial family serving [as prime minister]."[3]

Six weeks later, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Prince Higashikuni served as commander of the General Defense Command from 1941 to 1944.

Prince Higashikuni remained steadfast in his opposition to the war with the Allied powers,Template:According to whom and was part of the conspiracy (with Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, Prince Nobuhito Takamatsu, and former prime minister Konoe) which finally ousted Tōjō in July 1944 following the fall of Saipan to American forces. The American researchers with SCAP also found out that he had planned towards the end of the war to depose Emperor Shōwa, placing the Crown Prince Akihito on the throne instead, governing the country with himself as regent.[4]

Prime Minister

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File:Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni Cabinet 19450817.jpg
Higashikuni Cabinet with Mamoru Shigemitsu, Mitsumasa Yonai and Fumimaro Konoe in front row.

After the course of the war turned against Japan, and the decision was made to accept the Potsdam Declaration, the Emperor Shōwa appointed Prince Higashikuni to be prime minister on 17 August 1945, replacing navy Admiral Kantarō Suzuki. The mission of the Higashikuni Cabinet was twofold: first, to ensure the orderly cessation of hostilities and demobilization of the Japanese armed forces; and second, to reassure the Japanese people that the imperial institution remained secure. Prince Higashikuni resigned in October over a dispute with the Allied occupation forces over the repeal of the 1925 Peace Preservation Law. This law was largely intended to prevent the spread of Communism to Japan.

Post-premiership

On 27 February 1946, Prince Higashikuni gave an interview to the Yomiuri-Hōchi newspaper in which he claimed that many members of the imperial family had approved Emperor Shōwa's abdication, with Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu serving as regent until Crown Prince Akihito came of age.[5] In the government, only Prime Minister Kijūrō Shidehara and the Imperial Household Minister Yoshitami Matsudaira opposed this. On 4 March 1946, Higashikuni gave a similar interview to the Associated Press (reported in The New York Times) indicating that he had proposed to the Emperor possible dates for abdication.[6]

In 1946, Prince Higashikuni asked the emperor for permission to renounce his membership in the Imperial Family and become a commoner. The emperor denied the request. However, along with other members of the Imperial branch families (shinnōke and ōke), Prince Higashikuni lost his title and most of his wealth as a result of the American occupation's abolition of the princely houses on 17 October 1947.

As a private citizen, Higashikuni operated several unsuccessful retail enterprises (including a provisions store, second-hand goods store, and dressmaker's shop). He even created his own new Zen Buddhism-based religious sect, the Higashikuni-kyo, which was subsequently banned by the American occupation authorities.

The former prince became the honorary chairman of the International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF) in 1957, and honorary president of several other organizations.

In 1958, Higashikuni published his wartime journals under the title, Ichi Kozoku no Senso Nikki (or The War Diary of a Member of the Imperial Family). He published his autobiographical memoirs, Higashikuni Nikki, in 1968.

Death and legacy

Higashikuni died of heart failure in Tokyo on 20 January 1990 at the age of Template:Age in years and days, having outlived his wife, two of his sons, his siblings, and his nephew, Emperor Shōwa. Higashikuni is today mainly remembered as the first postwar prime minister of Japan. He is the shortest-serving prime minister, resigning after eight weeks (54 days) and one of the longest-lived prime ministers of all time, along with Antoine Pinay, Willem Drees and Christopher Hornsrud. At his death, he was the last surviving full general of the Imperial Japanese Army. From 14 May 1988, when former Netherlands Prime Minister Willem Drees died, until his own death, Higashikuni was the world's oldest living former head of government.

Footnotes

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  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Released under the Japanese Imperial Government Disclosure Act of 2000
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Gallery

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References

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Political offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Prime Minister of Japan
Aug – Oct 1945 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Minister of the Army
Aug 1945 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Commander, General Defense Command
Dec 1941 – Apr 1945 Template:S-ttl/check 		Command abolished
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Commander, IJA 2nd Army
Apr 1938 – Dec 1939 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Chief of the Army Aviation Headquarters
Aug 1937 – Apr 1938 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Commander, IJA 4th Division
Aug 1934 – Dec 1935 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Commander, IJA 2nd Division
Aug 1933 – Aug 1934 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Records
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Oldest living state leader
14 May 1988 – 20 January 1990 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by

Template:Prime Ministers of Japan Template:Authority control

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