21 Facts About Kuniaki Koiso

Kuniaki Koiso was a Japanese politician and general who served as prime minister of Japan from 1944 to 1945, during World War II.

Kuniaki Koiso previously served as minister of colonial affairs in 1939 and 1940, and as governor-general of Korea from 1942 to 1944.

Kuniaki Koiso was born on March 22,1880, in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, the first son of chief inspector of police and shizoku Kuniaki Koiso Susumu.

Kuniaki Koiso attended eight different schools, graduating from Yamagata Middle School.

Kuniaki Koiso was accepted as an officer candidate in 1898.

Kuniaki Koiso graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1900 and went on to attend the Army Staff College.

In November 1910, Kuniaki Koiso graduated from the Army Staff College, 33rd in a class of 55, and returned to the Imperial Japanese Army Academy as an instructor in December 1910.

Kuniaki Koiso returned to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Headquarters in June 1915, was promoted to lieutenant colonel in July 1918, and seconded to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in July 1921.

In February 1932, Kuniaki Koiso became Vice-Minister of War and in August 1932, concurrently Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army.

Kuniaki Koiso then assumed command of the Chosen Army in Korea from December 1935.

Kuniaki Koiso returned to the same post again from January to July 1940 under the Yonai administration.

Kuniaki Koiso was appointed Governor-General of Korea, succeeding Jiro Minami, from May 1942 to 1944, during which time he gained the nickname "The Tiger of Korea" for his looks rather than his military prowess.

Kuniaki Koiso continued his predecessor's hardline policies, such as imposing the highly unpopular universal military conscription on Koreans, which forced them to fight for the Japanese, on August 1,1943.

Kuniaki Koiso was supported by two former prime ministers, Mitsumasa Yonai and Hiranuma Kiichiro, and as no consensus could be reached on a more suitable alternative, their arguments prevailed.

Kuniaki Koiso attempted to end army-navy rivalry by creating a Supreme Chief of Staff, but this was structured to favor the army, thus bitter opposition from the navy doomed the plan.

Kuniaki Koiso was not taken seriously at Council meetings, where he was openly contradicted by Hata Hikosaburo.

Late in 1944, Kuniaki Koiso still planned to send Prince Fumimaro Konoe on a peace mission to neutral countries, Switzerland and Sweden, but it came to nothing.

Kuniaki Koiso resigned in April 1945 when American forces invaded Okinawa and his demands to be included in military decisions were rejected, the same date the Imperial Japanese Navy flagship Yamato was sunk by American aircraft during Operation Ten-Go.

Kuniaki Koiso was an ardent supporter of State Shinto along with Heisuke Yanagawa, who directed the Government Imperial Aid Association.

Kuniaki Koiso restored the ancient sacred rites in the Sukumo river, near Hakone, the "Preliminary Misogi Rite".

Kuniaki Koiso's grave is at the Aoyama Cemetery in central Tokyo.