Hirohito, Emperor (1901-1989):

Hirohito was Japanese emperor throughout the events of World War II, and was the last Japanese emperor to claim imperial divinity in the Shinto religion. During his reign, he allowed the Japanese military to heavily influence politics, which led to a policy of expansion, and eventually, war. As the war progressed, Hirohito began to resist the leaders of the military and unsuccessfully sought peace with the Allies. After the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the military leaders finally admitted defeat to the Allies, and Hirohito announced an unconditional surrender to the Allies on Japanese radio. This was the first time that an emperor of Japan had ever made a public address. Following the surrender, he was allowed to rule as a ceremonial monarch only, and was forced to denounce his divinity. He cooperated totally with the Allied occupation forces, and for this reason he was not heavily tried and sentenced for war crimes.

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