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. 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. 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. 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. 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]." 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, 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. ==Prime Minister==