World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbasePrince Morihiro was born in Tokyo, Japan to Prince Naruhiko of the Higashikuni branch of the Japanese Imperial Family. He was a grandson of Emperor Meiji, a nephew of Emperor Taisho, and first cousin of Emperor Showa. He received his primary and secondary education at the Gakushuin, then completed his studies at the Military Academy in 1938, receiving the rank of second lieutenant. In 1939, Prince Morihiro was promoted to first lieutenant and given command of the First Battery of the 1st Heavy Field Artillery Regiment of the Kwantung Army, which was stationed in the puppet state of Manchukuo in northeastern China. Rumor had him fleeing from battle without orders during the Nomonhan Incident in 1939. He was transferred back to Japan in Aug 1939. He was promoted to the rank of captain in 1941. Between 1942 and 1944, he attended the Army War College. On 23 Oct 1943, he married his cousin Princess Shigeko, oldest daughter of Emperor Showa. On 14 Oct 1947, he and his family were stripped of their imperial status and became ordinary citizens. He embarked on several business ventures, but they all failed. He eventually became the head of the research division of Hokkaido Coal and Steamship Company. After his wife's death on 23 Jul 1961, he married Yoshiko Terao. The former Prince Morihiro died of lung cancer at St. Luke's Hospital in Tokyo in 1969.

Morihiro Interactive Map

Photographs

Morihiro Timeline