World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbasePrince Kotohito was born in Kyoto, Japan as the 16th son of Prince Kuniie of the Fushimi branch of the Japanese Imperial family. He was adopted by Emperor Komei, thus making him a potential heir, though that was not to be. In 1868, at the age of three, he was sent to study at the Sambo-in Buddhist temple for aristocrats, but in 1872 he returned home to be made the head of the Kanin branch of the Imperial family. In 1877, he entered the Japanese Army Academy, graduating in 1881. In 1882, he was dispatched by Emperor Meiji, his adoptive brother, to France as a military attaché. In 1891, he was assigned to 7th Light Cavalry Regiment. In Dec 1891, he married Chieko Sanjo, daughter of Prince Sanetomi Sanjo; they would have seven children. He graduated from the Army Staff College in 1894 as a captain in the cavalry, and subsequently saw action in the Yalu River region during the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894 to 1895. Between 1897 and 1899, he was the commanding officer of 1st Cavalry Regiment. In 1901, he was given command of 2nd Cavalry Brigade; later in the same year, he was promoted to the rank of major general. He saw action in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 to 1905. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in 1904 and was given comand of 1st Division in 1906. In 1911, he was made the commander of Imperial Guard Division. In the following year, he was promoted to the rank of general and was made a member of the Supreme War Council. In 1919, he was promoted to the rank of field marshal. In 1921, he toured Europe with Prince Hirohito. In 1931, he became the Chief of the Japanese Army General Staff, and would hold this position until 1940. When WW2 began in Asia, it was through his office where the authorization to use chemical weapons in China was given; later, in 1938, the authorization to use posion gas in the Inner Mongolia region of China was issued in his name. Aligned with hawkish politicians, Prince Kotohito opposed efforts to improve relations with the United States and the United Kingdom and supported the signing of the Tripartite Pact. Although he stepped down from the Japanese Army in Oct 1940, he remained a member of the Supreme War Council. He passed away at the Kanin family summer residence in Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan. Prince Kotohito was given a state funeral in Jun 1945, which was to be the last state funeral of Imperial Japan. His son Prince Haruhito succeeded him as the head of the Kanin branch of the Imperial family.

Kotohito Interactive Map

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Kotohito Timeline