Hirohito: an emperor who didn’t know about the crimes? Controversy surrounding Japan’s ruler.
Was Japanese Emperor Hirohito responsible for millions of casualties during World War II? Was he a dictator, a puppet of the military or perhaps a prisoner of the political system of the time?
In April 2022, Ukrainian authorities posted a video on social media showing profiles of bloody 20th-century dictators and reminding them what the folly of their lust for power ended up with. In addition to Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini, the video also featured Japanese Emperor Hirohito, who sat on the throne from 1926 to 1989. The juxtaposition aroused anger in the Land of the Blossoming Cherry and the Ukrainians immediately backed off, apologizing to the Japanese.
The authorities in Kiev put their heads in ashes for purely diplomatic reasons, not wanting to lose the support of a strong Asian ally. Or perhaps the juxtaposition of Hirohito with Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini really made no sense and was a slap in the face to the Japanese? Was Hirohito a dictator or not? And if he was indeed responsible for war crimes, how did he remain on the throne until his death in 1989?
