Prince Kuni Asaakira
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| HIH Prince Kuni Asaakira | |
|---|---|
| 2 February 1901 - 7 December 1959 | |
 His Imperial Highness Prince Kuni Asaakira |
|
| Place of birth | Tokyo, Japan |
| Place of death | Tokyo, Japan |
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
| Years of service | 1921–1945 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Commands | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Order of the Golden Kite (4th class) Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum. |
Prince Kuni Asaakira (久邇宮 朝融王 Kuni-no-miya Asaakira-ō?) (2 February 1901 - 7 December 1959), was third head of the Kuni-no-miya, a collateral branch of the Japanese imperial family and vice admiral in the Japanese Imperial Navy during World War II. He was the elder brother of Empress Kojun (Nagako), the consort of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito), and thus a maternal uncle to the current Emperor Akihito.
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[edit] Early life
Prince Kuni Asaakira was born in Tokyo, the eldest son of Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi and his wife, Chikako, the seventh daughter of Prince or Duke Shimazu Tadayoshi, the last daimyo of Satsuma. In 1921, he served for the customary term in the House of Peers. Upon his father's death on 29 January 1929, he succeeded as head of the Kuni-no-miya house.
[edit] Military career
Prince Asaakira graduated from the 49th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1921 and the Naval War College (Japan) in 1925. He rose to the rank of lieutenant in 1928. In 1931, Prince Kuni became the chief gunner aboard the cruiser Kiso.
In August 1934, he transferred to the cruiser Yakumo in the same capacity. Two years later, he rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in 1936 and was assigned to the Naval General Staff Office. He was reassigned to the battleship Nagato in 1937. He rose to the rank of captain in 1938 and rear admiral in 1940. Two years later, he was given command of the First Naval Aviation Wing.
In 1942, Prince Kuni Asaakira commanded the naval air squadron that supported the Japanese occupation of Timor in the Pacific War. He was promoted to the rank of vice admiral in 1943, but remained on active service with naval aviation in the southern front until the end of the war.
[edit] Marriage and Family
On 25 July 1925, Prince Kuni Asaakira married his cousin, Princess Tomoko (18 May 1907 - 30 June 1947), the third daughter of Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu. Prince and Princess Kuni Asaakira had six children: five daughters and two sons:
- HIH Princess Kuni Masako (b. 8 December 1926)
- HIH Princess Kuni Asako (b. 23 October 1927)
- HIH Prince Kuni Kuniaki (b. 25 March 1929)
- HIH Princess Kuni Michiko (b. 14 September 1933)
- HIH Princess Kuni Hideko (b. 21 July 1937)
- HIH Prince Kuni Asatake (b. 11 May 1940)
- HIH Princess Kuni Noriko (b. 18 September 1941)
[edit] As a commoner
On 14 October 1947, Prince Kuni Asaakira and his children lost their imperial status and became ordinary citizens, as part of the American Occupation's abolishment of the collateral branches of the Japanese Imperial family. As a former naval officer, he was also purged him from holding any public office. Hoping to capitalize on his close ties to the throne (his sister was the empress), former prince Kuni Asaakira started a luxury perfume line carrying the imperial chrysanthemum logo. However, since few Japanese had money to purchase luxury items during the American Occupation, the Kuni Perfume Company quickly went bankrupt. He later became president of the Japan Shepherd Dog Association, and an avid orchid grower, and held posts in the Jinja Honcho, the religious corporation which succeeded the government in the control of Shinto shrines.
The former prince died of a heart attack at age 57 and his elder son Kuni Kuniaki (born 25 March 1929) succeeded him as titular head of the former Kuni-no-miya family.
[edit] Gallery
 HIH Princess Kuni Tomoko, consort |
[edit] References
- Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, The Japan Year Book, 1939-40 (Tokyo: Kenkyusha Press, 1939).
- Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, The Japan Year Book, 1945 (Tokyo: Kenkyusha Press, 1946).
- Lebra, Sugiyama Takie. Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility. University of California Press (1995). ISBN 0520076028
- "Ex Prince Kuni is Dead", New York Times, 8 December 1959.
