Japanese Emperor Hirohito

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the reign of Emperor Hirohito, from 1926 to 1989, was designated Showa, or "Enlightened Peace"; this period includes World War II but historians disagree on the degree to which Hirohito supported Japan's expansionist policies from 1931 to World War II. The author points out that, on Jan. 1, 1946, Hirohito repudiated the traditional quasi-divine status of Japan's emperors and, under the nation's new constitution, drafted by U.S. occupation authorities, Japan became a constitutional monarchy with sovereignty resided in the people, not in the emperor, whose powers were severely curtailed. The paper relates the political issues during the Showa period and the prior era in which Japan rejected Western colonization.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Showa Period
Political Developments
Japan's Rise as a Colonial Power

From the Paper:

"Hosokawa initiated political reform, including limitations on campaign contributions and a change in the Japanese electoral system from multiple-member to single-member districts. He achieved some success in limiting contributions and managed to pass a modified elections package that included the creation of 300 single-member constituencies. Opposition within his coalition to tax reform and accusations of his own involvement in the Miyazawa-era scandal forced his resignation in April 1994. Hosokawa's successor lasted a mere two months."

More papers on Japanese Emperor Hirohito:

• Book Review # 75718 : "Hirohito"
• Analytical Essay # 61208 : "In Service of the Emperor"
• Research Paper # 53604 : "To Bomb or Not to Bomb"

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