Free Republic

Did Hirohito play an active part in planning and conducting the war? Japanese emperor Hirohito expressed doubts about going to war with China in the 1930s and 40s, extracts from a diary of one of his advisers reveal. They show Hirohito was afraid the Soviet Union would intervene. The diary by Kuraji Ogura, who worked as a chamberlain to Hirohito in World War II, was found recently and parts have been published in Japan's media. The full text may help solve the debate about how much responsibility the emperor had for Japan's wartime action. South Pacific visit The document...

Diet panel OK's bill to rename April 29 'Showa Day' (Kyodo) _ A House of Representatives committee on Friday approved a bill to rename April 29, which is now Greenery Day, as Showa Day to mark the birthday of Emperor Hirohito. A majority of the lower house Cabinet Committee approved the measure as lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito party, and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan voted for it. On Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda acknowledged that people with memories of World War II could have objections to the new name...