Hirohito
Hirohito (1901-89). Emperor of Japan. The 124th direct descendant of Jimmu, the legendary first emperor of Japan, he succeeded his father Yoshihito to the throne in 1926. Following the surrender of Japan in World War II he accepted a new constitution, renouncing claims to imperial divinity and accepting more limited powers. The precise nature of his role during the war remains a matter of controversy. He visited Europe in 1971 and in 1974 made a tour of the US. Hirohito, who was also an eminent botanist and zoologist, was succeeded on his death by his son Akihito (1933- ).
