Nomura, Kichisaburo (kēchēsäb
rō` nō`m'rä), 1877–1964, Japanese admiral and diplomat. A graduate of the Japanese naval academy, he commanded troops at Shanghai in 1932, was made a full admiral in 1933, and resigned from active service in 1937. He was (1939) foreign minister before being appointed (1940) ambassador to the United States. He and a special envoy, Kurusu, were carrying on negotiations in Washington when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. After World War II, Nomura denied that he knew beforehand of the attack.