Today is Shoowa no Hi (昭和の日) or Shoowa Day. The now deceased emperor was officially called Shoowa Tennoo (昭和天皇) or Emperor Shoowa. You may have known him as Emperor Hirohito (裕仁). Although the day is named after the Emperor, it’s more of a day to remember the people who died in the war.

Emperor Shoowa (昭和天皇) is a controvercial figure. Some people find him responsible for the war crimes committed during the war, while other scholars view him as taking a passive role in the war. Some find him a traitor to his country for his unconditional surrender to the U.S., while others support him and the royal family with unconditional support.

The Emperor’s reign is also controvercial as well. He lived in a time when Japan was suffering from a financial and political crisis. He himself was almost assassinated, and of course there was the issue of war. In addition to that, the post war era of Japan was an era of rapid industrialization and the rise of an economic power to be reckoned with. His reign combined both the highs and the lows.

On January 7th 1989, the Emperor passed away from cancer. At his funeral, leaders from all over the world paid their respects to the emperor. Love him or hate him, he was an important figure in Japanese history. Important enough to have a day named after him.