At the age of 11, Hirohito's grandfather died. This made his father the emperor and Hirohito the crown prince. In 1921, he became the first crown prince of Japan to travel abroad and study, voyaging to Europe.
Hirohito became emperor of Japan on December 25, 1926, following the death of his father. He was given the title "Showa" ("Enlightened Peace") and was formally known as Showa Tenno. He took over at a time of rising democratic sentiment, but his country soon turned toward ultra-nationalism and militarism.
One of the first major events in Hirohito's rule was the invasion of China. Japan was a powerful, but small, island nation. The country needed land and natural resources. In 1937 they invaded China.
After the war, the new constitution drafted by the United States transformed Japan into a constitutional monarchy so that sovereignty lay with the people instead of the emperor.
He visited the United States in 1975, meeting with President Ford and placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Hirohito pursued a life-long interest of his by conducting research in marine biology. Emperor Hirohito died on January 7, 1989 in Tokyo
Emperor Hirohito of Japan
