Hirota, Koki

Early years

Born into a mason's family. He was adopted by the Hirota family. He graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo.

Diplomatic career

After completing his education, he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1923, he served as director of the Department of Europe and America. In 1928-1932 he was the ambassador of Japan to the USSR.

In 1933, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the office of Saito Makoto .

As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hirota contributed to the acquisition of the CER . October 28, 1935 proclaimed the Three Principles of Hirota - the main directions of Japanese politics in China:

• Creation of the Japan-Sino-Manchu bloc;
• Organization of the Sino-Japanese Front against the spread of communism;
• Suppression of anti-Japanese sentiment in China.

As Prime Minister

In 1936, after the military faction was discredited after the February 26 incident , Hirota replaced Admiral Okad Kaisuke as Prime Minister of Japan. Despite this, one of his first decisions was to renew the rule, according to which only active officers were appointed to the post of Minister of the Army and Minister of the Navy, which strengthened the position of the military.

In foreign policy, Hirota Koki contributed to the rapprochement of Japan with the Third Reich and fascist Italy. On November 25, 1936 in Berlin , the Anti-Comintern Pact was signed between Germany and Japan in order to fight against the Comintern , and the Tripartite Pact was signed on September 27, 1940.

In February 1937, after a conflict with Army Minister Terauchi Hisaichi , Hirota resigned and Hayashi Senjuro took his place.

Continuing a diplomatic career

Shortly after the resignation, Hirota again took up the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in Konoe Fumimaro's office. In this post, he opposed military aggression against China and the escalation of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Due to constant conflicts with the military faction in 1938 he was forced to resign.

In 1945, Hirota Koki returned to public service and led the Japanese mission in negotiations with the USSR. The Japanese government tried to convince Stalin not to support the allies in the war with Japan, but these negotiations ended in failure.

Last days

After surrender, Japan was arrested as a Class A war criminal. An international military tribunal for the Far East found him guilty of

• Point 1 (incitement to militarism and imperialism, violation of international law);
• Paragraph 27 (planning and waging war against the Republic of China);
• Paragraph 54 (neglect of the obligation to prevent violations of the laws and customs of war, crimes against humanity).

Hirota Koki was sentenced to death. December 23, 1948 hanged in Sugamo Prison .

• Frank, Richard B. Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire. - Penguin (Non-Classics); Reissue edition (2001). - ISBN 0-14-100146-1 .
• Maga, Timothy P. Judgment at Tokyo: The Japanese War Crimes Trials. - University of Kentucky, 2001. - ISBN 0-8131-2177-9 .