Fushimi Hiroaki
Encyclopedia
is the only son of Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi
(1900–1937), and 25th head of the Fushimi-no-miya
shinnōke
(collateral branch of the Imperial Family of Japan).
Fushimi Hiroaki was born in Tokyo
, and educated at the Gakushuin
Peers School. His father, Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi was a naval commander in the Imperial Japanese Navy
, and died shortly after the opening stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War
in 1937. Prince Hiroaki, therefore, became the twenty-sixth head of the Fushimi-no-miya upon the death of grandfather, Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu
, on August 16, 1946.
He was styled His Imperial Highness. With the abolition of the collateral branches of the Imperial household by the American occupation authorities
after the end of the Pacific War
, Prince Fushimi became a commoner, Hiroaki Fushimi on October 14, 1947. He later traveled to the United States
and attended Centre College
in Kentucky
. He returned to Japan to pursue a career with Mobil Oil.
His late wife, the former Tokiko Yoshikawa, was the daughter of the president of Yoshikawa Optical Instruments. The couple has three daughters: Masako (born 1964), Nobuko (born 1961), and Akiko (born 1959).
Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi
align=right| was the eldest son of Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu, heir-apparent of the 25nd head of the Fushimi-no-miya shinnōke , and a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy.- Early life :...
(1900–1937), and 25th head of the Fushimi-no-miya
Fushimi-no-miya
The ' is the oldest of the four shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the event that the main line should die out....
shinnōke
Shinnoke
was the collective name for the four cadet branches of the Imperial Household of Japan, which were until 1947 entitled to provide a successor to the Chrysanthemum throne if the main line failed to produce an heir...
(collateral branch of the Imperial Family of Japan).
Fushimi Hiroaki was born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and educated at the Gakushuin
Gakushuin
The or Peers School is an educational institution founded in Tokyo in 1877, during the Meiji period, for the education of the children of the Japanese aristocracy, though it eventually also opened its doors to the offspring of extremely wealthy commoners...
Peers School. His father, Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi was a naval commander in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
, and died shortly after the opening stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
in 1937. Prince Hiroaki, therefore, became the twenty-sixth head of the Fushimi-no-miya upon the death of grandfather, Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu
Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu
was a scion of the Japanese imperial family and was a career naval officer who served as chief of staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1932 to 1941.-Early life:...
, on August 16, 1946.
He was styled His Imperial Highness. With the abolition of the collateral branches of the Imperial household by the American occupation authorities
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
after the end of the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, Prince Fushimi became a commoner, Hiroaki Fushimi on October 14, 1947. He later traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and attended Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He returned to Japan to pursue a career with Mobil Oil.
His late wife, the former Tokiko Yoshikawa, was the daughter of the president of Yoshikawa Optical Instruments. The couple has three daughters: Masako (born 1964), Nobuko (born 1961), and Akiko (born 1959).