Emperor Hirohito
Hirohito (Shōwa, known as Tenno to his subjects) (Tokyo, 1901 - 1989) was Emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989, reigning for the longest in Japanese history. During his period, (Shōwa era) Japan went from a fairly rural country to one of the economic powers of the world. He was grandson of Emperor Meiji, and son of Emperor Taisho.
During the war against China (1931-32) and the invasion of Manchuria (in 1937) Japan took over other countries by force; in September 1941, Japan issued a formal declaration of war with allied powers, and on December 7, Japanese forces initiated conflict with the United States in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The first battles were mostly victories, however the battle of Midway marked a turning point in the war. By the summer of 1945, some members of Japan’s government wanted to surrender.
On 15th August 1945, Hirohito announced the unconditional surrender.
Accepting MacArthur's implicit bargain -- help me and I'll keep you from being tried as a war criminal -- Hirohito did his part to remake Japan along an American model, backing the new constitution, "renouncing" his divinity, and trying gamely to play the part of "Japan's first democrat." By the time his 62-year reign came to an end, Japan had risen like a Phoenix out of the postwar rubble to become one of the world's richest countries. It was in demonstrating this remarkable capacity for change that Hirohito truly became the living symbol of his people. [1]
Hirohito married Princess Nagako Kuni. Akihito, their eldest son, is the current emperor of Japan.