10. Hideki Tōjō

Position: Prime Minister of Japan

Before the War

A graduate of the Imperial Military Academy and the Military Staff College, Tōjō served briefly as military attaché in Japan’s embassy in Berlin after World War I. He was an esteemed administrator and skillful field commander and became noted as a stern disciplinarian. In 1928 he was made commander of the 1st Infantry Regiment. Tōjō's nickname was "Razor" (Kamisori), earned for his reputation for a sharp, legalistic mind capable of making quick decisions.

Wartime Role

He returned to Tokyo in 1938 as vice-minister of war and was one of the leading advocates of Japan’s Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy (1940). In July 1940 he was appointed minister of war in the cabinet of Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro. Tōjō succeeded Konoe as prime minister on October 18, 1941, and pledged his government to a Greater East Asia program, a “New Order in Asia.” He urged closer collaboration with Germany and Italy and persuaded Vichy France to sanction Japanese occupation of strategic bases in Indo‐China (July 1941). Tōjō retained control of the Ministry of War and was also minister of commerce and industry from 1943. Among his decisions was the approval of government-sanctioned biological experiments on POWs. As one of the proponents of Japanese attack and occupation of China many consider Tōjō responsible for the crimes committed under his authority, and thus, the murder of almost four million Chinese.

General Hideki Tojo (centre) proposes a toast with the German Ambassador to Japan, the Italian Ambassador to Japan and officers from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A hardworking and efficient bureaucrat, Tōjō was also one of the most aggressive militarists in the Japanese leadership. He led his country’s war efforts after the attack on the U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, and under his direction smashing victories were initially scored throughout Southeast Asia and the western Pacific region. After a series of Japanese military reverses in the Pacific, Tōjō assumed virtual dictatorial powers, taking over the post of the chief of the General Staff. The successful Allied invasion of the Mariana Islands so weakened his government, however, that he was removed as chief of staff on July 16, 1944, and on July 18 he and his entire cabinet announced their resignation. Four days later he was succeeded as prime minister by Koiso Kuniaki. Tōjō spent the remainder of the war in the military reserve, effectively banned from power.

General Hideki Tojo (center) proposes a toast with the German Ambassador to Japan, the Italian Ambassador to Japan and officers from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hideki Tojo, prison diary entry made after the war, explaining why he believed the attack on Pearl Harbor was justified:

"Japan attempted to circumvent these dangerous circumstances by diplomatic negotiation, and though Japan heaped concession upon concession, in the hope of finding a solution through mutual compromise, there was no progress because the United States would not retreat from its original position. Finally, in the end, the United States repeated demands that, under the circumstances, Japan could not accept: complete withdrawal of troops from China, repudiation of the Nanking government, withdrawal from the Tripartite Pact (signed by Germany, Italy and Japan on September 27, 1940). At this point, Japan lost all hope of reaching a resolution through diplomatic negotiation.

Since events had progressed as they had, it became clear that to continue in this manner was to lead the nation to disaster. With options thus foreclosed, in order to protect and defend the nation and clear the obstacles that stood in its path, a decisive appeal to arms was made"

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