How did Emperor Hirohito die?

Did You Know? Hirohito's son Akihito, the current emperor of Japan, broke with 1,500 years of tradition by marrying a commoner in 1959. Upon his return to Japan, Hirohito became regent for his ... He died on January 7, 1989, having spent nearly 64 years on the throne—the longest imperial reign in Japanese history. read more

Some historians believe Emperor Hirohito was directly responsible for the atrocities committed by the imperial forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War and in World War II. read more

Shoichi Fujimori, the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency, announced the Emperor's death at 7:55 A.M. and revealed for the first time that Hirohito had been suffering from cancer of the duodenum, a section of the small intestine. read more