Tojo Hideki

Tojo Hideki

(born Dec. 30, 1884, Tokyo, Japan—died Dec. 23, 1948, Tokyo) Army general and prime minister of Japan (1941–44) during most of World War II. Under his direction, great victories were initially scored throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific, but prolonged reverses in the Pacific and the successful U.S. invasion of the Mariana Islands resulted in his removal from office in 1944. He attempted suicide after Japan's surrender but was nursed back to health to be tried and executed as a war criminal. See also war crime.