Why was Emperor Hirohito not executed at the end of World War 2?

Answer 1

If the Americans removed the Japanese emperor from the throne there would have been instability and maybe a communist uprising in post war Japan ,with keeping the emperor on the throne they kept the symbol of Japan's traditions

Answer 2

To sum it all up, Hirohito was looked upon as a God. The whole point of dropping two atomic bombs was to get the Imperial Empire of Japan to surrender. Japan surrendered under the agreement that no harm will come towards there Emperor. If we would have put him on trial for war crimes, it could start another war which is what America was trying to end with Japan.

Answer 3

After the war, the idea was to stabilize the country and the economy, as well as to stop the killing. If the Emperor had been removed, it could have caused a revolution and that would have led to more loss of life, on both sides. Besides, the Emperor was more of a figurehead, not the actual leader of the country during the war. That was the Prime Minister Tojo. He was one of the people responsible for the war. Some people think the Emperor was behind the plans to declare war on America and the other countries. He must have been aware of them, but was not the architect of the plans.

Answer 4

By getting to keep their Emperor was the one condition the Japanese insisted on before they would surrender. The Japanese believed he was a living god, but he had to admit to the Japanese people that he was not divine, not a god. He spoke to the Japanese people in a radio address at that time, and it was the first time the people had ever heard his voice.

The US and the British had made a big deal out of insisting on "unconditional surrender" of the Axis powers, because Roosevelt had shot off his mouth to reporters at the Casablanca Conference saying that this was the policy they had agreed on. This was a mistake. It allowed the Germans to make Propaganda saying the Allies were out for the complete destruction of Germany, therefore we have no choice but to fight on to the bitter end.

Answer 5

He was viewed as a god in Japanese culture, and it was felt harmony could be maintained if he was not tried for war crimes. The U.S. asserted immediately after the war that Hirohito was a figurehead during the war and had little influence as to how the war was fought. This assertion is largely considered false by most western historians.

Answer 6

Cause he had no actual political power.

In the coup d'etat by The Imperial Army, the prime minister was killed, and they took control of the government and Emperor.