Editing Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni (section)

==Post-premiership==
On 27 February 1946, Prince Higashikuni gave an interview to the ''[[Yomiuri Shimbun#History|Yomiuri-Hōchi]]'' newspaper in which he claimed that many members of the imperial family had approved Emperor Shōwa's abdication, with [[Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu]] serving as regent until Crown Prince [[Akihito]] came of age.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/133011|title=Inventing the 'Symbol Monarchy' in Japan, 1945-52|author=Bix, Herbert P.|year=1995|journal=Journal of Japanese Studies|volume=21|issue=2|page=338|doi=10.2307/133011|jstor=133011}}</ref> In the government, only Prime Minister [[Kijūrō Shidehara]] and the Imperial Household Minister [[Yoshitami Matsudaira]] opposed this. On 4 March 1946, Higashikuni gave a similar interview to the ''[[Associated Press]]'' (reported in ''[[The New York Times]]'') indicating that he had proposed to the Emperor possible dates for abdication.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1946/03/04/88336189.html?pageNumber=6 |page=6 |title=Prince Suggested That Hirohito Quit; Higashi-Kuni Says He Gave Emperor Three Suitable Times for Abdication Considered Abdication; Admiral Ueda Released |date=March 4, 1946 |newspaper=[[New York Times]] }}</ref>

In 1946, Prince Higashikuni asked the emperor for permission to renounce his membership in the Imperial Family and become a commoner. The emperor denied the request. However, along with other members of the Imperial branch families (''[[shinnōke]]'' and ''[[ōke]]''), Prince Higashikuni lost his title and most of his wealth as a result of the American occupation's abolition of the princely houses on 17 October 1947.

As a private citizen, Higashikuni operated several unsuccessful retail enterprises (including a provisions store, second-hand goods store, and dressmaker's shop). He even created his own new [[Zen]] [[Buddhism]]-based religious sect, the [[Higashikuni-kyo]], which was subsequently banned by the American occupation authorities.

The former prince became the honorary chairman of the [[International Martial Arts Federation]] (IMAF) in 1957, and honorary president of several other organizations.

In 1958, Higashikuni published his wartime journals under the title, ''Ichi Kozoku no Senso Nikki'' (or ''The War Diary of a Member of the Imperial Family''). He published his autobiographical memoirs, ''Higashikuni Nikki'', in 1968.