Editing Hirohito (section)

==== Documents that suggest limited wartime responsibility ====
The declassified January 1989 British government assessment of Hirohito describes him as "too weak to alter the course of events" and Hirohito was "powerless" and comparisons with Hitler are "ridiculously wide off the mark." Hirohito's power was limited by ministers and the military and if he asserted his views too much he would have been replaced by another member of the royal family.<ref name="whitehead-assessment" />

[[British Raj|Indian]] [[jurist]] [[Radhabinod Pal]] opposed the International Military Tribunal and made a 1,235-page judgment.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=SDHF Newsletter No. 18: "Dissentient Judgment of Justice Pal" |publisher=Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact |url=http://www.sdh-fact.com/mail-magazine/452/ |access-date=17 June 2018}}</ref> He found the entire prosecution case to be weak regarding the conspiracy to commit an act of aggressive war with brutalization and subjugation of conquered nations. Pal said there is "no evidence, testimonial or circumstantial, concomitant, prospectant, restrospectant, that would in any way lead to the inference that the government in any way permitted the commission of such offenses".<ref name="brook">"The Tokyo Judgment and the Rape of Nanking", by [[Timothy Brook]], ''The Journal of Asian Studies'', August 2001.</ref> He added that conspiracy to wage aggressive war was not illegal in 1937, or at any point since.<ref name="brook" /> Pal supported the acquittal of all of the defendants. He considered the Japanese military operations as justified, because [[Chiang Kai-shek]] supported the boycott of trade operations by the Western Powers, particularly the United States boycott of oil exports to Japan. Pal argued the attacks on neighboring territories were justified to protect the Japanese Empire from an aggressive environment, especially the [[Soviet Union]]. He considered that to be self-defense operations which are not criminal. Pal said "the real culprits are not before us" and concluded that "only a lost war is an international crime".

=====The Emperor's own statements=====
;8 September 1975 TV interview with [[NBC]], USA<ref>[[#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988]]{{Broken anchor|date=16 June 2024|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Hirohito#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|reason= }} p. 209</ref>
: '''Reporter:''' "How far has your Majesty been involved in Japan's decision to end the war in 1945? What was the motivation for your launch?"
: '''Emperor:''' "Originally, this should be done by the Cabinet. I heard the results, but at the last [[Gozen Kaigi|meeting]] I asked for a decision. I decided to end the war on my own. (...) I thought that the continuation of the war would only bring more misery to the people."
;Interview with ''[[Newsweek]]'', USA, 20 September 1975<ref>[[#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988]]{{Broken anchor|date=16 June 2024|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Hirohito#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|reason= }} p. 212</ref>
: '''Reporter:''' "(Abbreviation) How do you answer those who claim that your Majesty was also involved in the decision-making process that led Japan to start the war?"
: '''Emperor:''' "(Omission) At the start of the war, a cabinet decision was made, and I could not reverse that decision. We believe this is consistent with the provisions of the Imperial Constitution."
;22 September 1975 – Press conference with Foreign Correspondents<ref>[[#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988]]{{Broken anchor|date=16 June 2024|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Hirohito#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|reason= }} p. 216</ref>
: '''Reporter:''' "How long before the attack on Pearl Harbor did your Majesty know about the attack plan? And did you approve the plan?"
: '''Emperor:''' "It is true that I had received information on military operations in advance. However, I only received those reports after the military commanders made detailed decisions. Regarding issues of political character and military command, I believe that I acted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution."
;On 31 October 1975, a press conference was held immediately after returning to Japan after visiting the United States.<ref>[[#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988]]{{Broken anchor|date=16 June 2024|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Hirohito#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|reason= }} pp. 226–227</ref><ref>[[#昭和天皇語録 2004|昭和天皇語録 2004]]{{Broken anchor|date=16 June 2024|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Hirohito#昭和天皇語録 2004|reason= }} p. 332</ref>
: '''Question:''' "Your majesty, at your [[White House]] banquet you said, 'I deeply deplore that unfortunate war.' (See also {{ill|Emperor Shōwa's Theory of War Responsibility|ja|昭和天皇の戦争責任論|vertical-align=sup}}.) Does your majesty feel responsibility for the war itself, including the opening of hostilities? Also, what does your majesty think about so-called war responsibility?" ([[The Times]] reporter)
: '''Emperor:'''  "I can't answer that kind of question because I haven't thoroughly studied the literature in this field, and so don't really appreciate the nuances of your words."
: '''Question:''' "How did you understand that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima at the end of the war?" ([[RCC Broadcasting]] Reporter)
: '''Emperor:''' "I am sorry that the atomic bomb was dropped, but because of this war, I feel sorry for the citizens of Hiroshima, but I think it is unavoidable."
;17 April 1981 Press conference with the presidents of the press<ref>[[#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988]]{{Broken anchor|date=16 June 2024|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Hirohito#陛下、お尋ね申し上げます 1988|reason= }} p. 313</ref>
: '''Reporter:''' "What was the most enjoyable of your memories of eighty years?"
: '''Emperor:''' "Since I saw the constitutional politics of Britain as the {{ill|Crown Prince|ja|皇太子裕仁親王の欧州訪問|vertical-align=sup}}, I felt strongly that I must adhere to the constitutional politics. But I was too particular about it to prevent the war. I made my own decisions twice ([[February 26 Incident]] and the end of World War II)."