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Oct 9, 2025 04:00 (JST)
Tokyo, Oct. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Imperial Household Agency on Thursday released the full text of the official records of the 97-year life of the late Empress Kojun (1903-2000), the wife of Emperor Showa, which include details of her experiences during World War II.
The official records of Empress Kojun and her two predecessors are now complete, laying the groundwork for research on empresses, the agency said.
According to the records, Empress Kojun, known as Empress Nagako before her death, spent the whole of Aug. 15, 1945, when Emperor Showa declared Japan’s surrender in World War II, inside a bunker facility that also served as her home at the time. She listened to the Emperor’s announcement of the defeat on the radio.
She later spoke about the war, including at events of the Japanese Red Cross Society, such as an ordinary general meeting in December 1946 and a ceremony marking her appointment as the organization’s honorary president in January 1947.
At a national convention on child welfare held at the Japanese Red Cross Society in May 1947, Empress Kojun said, “When I think about children who lost (either or both) parents from the war and the ensuing repatriation, I feel pain wondering if I can somehow make these lovely children happy.”
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
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