Hirohito

American  

[heer-oh-hee-toh, hee-raw-hee-taw] / ˌhɪər oʊˈhi toʊ, ˈhi rɔˈhi tɔ /

noun

1. Showa, 1901–89, emperor of Japan 1926–89.

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Hirohito British  

/ ˌhɪərəʊˈhiːtəʊ /

noun

1. 1901–89, emperor of Japan 1926–89. In 1946 he became a constitutional monarch

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Hirohito Cultural  

1. Japanese emperor who came to the throne in the 1920s. He reigned over the Japanese in World War II. After the war, he was forced to give up the claim to divine status that previous emperors had made. He died in 1989, after long outliving all the other major figures associated with the war.

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Example Sentences

Bowing to the volatile army, in October 1941 Emperor Hirohito appointed Tojo prime minister, in addition to the posts of army minister and home minister.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Since 1945, historians have debated to what extent Naruhito's late grandfather Hirohito was responsible for Imperial Japan's war of aggression in Asia.

From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026

After Japan’s surrender, journalists were eager to find three people: Emperor Hirohito, former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and the mythical broadcaster with the evocative name.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

In World War II, “unconditional surrender” meant, among other things, killing or at least removing Hitler and Hirohito.

From Slate • Jun. 17, 2025

Policy decisions were not usually made by Japan’s emperor, Hirohito.

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin