Emperor Hirohito Analysis

In Peter Li’s academic journal article, “Hirohito’s War Crimes Responsibility: The Unrepentant Emperor,” Li challenges the common belief that Japanese Emperor Hirohito had little to no part in the war crimes committed by the Japanese military during his reign from 1926-1989 (The 25 Most Evil People in History). Li incorporates other authors’ opinions on the complex emperor to show the differing views of Emperor Hirohito as well as analyzes his true involvement in the Japanese endeavors during World War II. At the beginning of the article, Li paraphrases other authors’ perspectives on how Emperor Hirohito was regarded. Emperor Hirohito was described as “shy, awkward, and withdrawn” as opposed to having confidence and the regal presence that former leaders had (Li 4). In addition to his weak and unauthoritative appearance, Hirohito’s position as emperor was viewed as little more than a status symbol. Japanese emperors were known not for their immense governmental power, but for their role as a representation of unity among their subjects. However, after entertaining the authors’ differing stances on Hirohito, Li asserts his opinion that Hirohito’s intelligence and deviousness were underestimated. Although the amount of military influence Hirohito possessed is
The reader may have conflicted feelings about Emperor Hirohito after reading the article because Li accommodates both sides of the debate so well. This article is relevant to my research topic of Emperor Hirohito because it shows someone of authority with a benevolent façade who abuses his power and becomes impenitent and cruel. The article also shows how people often see someone – like Emperor Hirohito – how the person wants to be seen and not his true