= Kouki Hirota = '''Kouki Hirota''' ('''廣田 弘毅''') was [[Japan/MinistryOfForeignAffairs|minister of foreign affairs]] and [[Japan/PrimeMinisters|prime minister]] of [[Japan/Hirohito|Imperial Japan]]. <> ---- == History == Hirota rose through the [[Japan/MinistryOfForeignAffairs|ministry of foreign affairs]], including an appointment as ambassador to the [[WorldHistory/SovietUnion|Soviet Union]]. ---- == Policies == As [[Japan/MinistryOfForeignAffairs|minister of foreign affairs]], Hirota promulgated the '''Hirota Sangensoku''' (''Three Principles by Hirota''): * establishing a Japan-[[China]]-[[WorldHistory/WorldWar2#Manchukuo|Manchukuo]] bloc * opposition to the spread of communism * suppression of anti-Japanese activities in China As [[Japan/PrimeMinisters|prime minister]], Hirota signed the [[WorldHistory/WorldWar2#International_Relations_of_the_Axis|Anti-Comintern Pact]]. Hirota formed the government in March 1936 after winning the support of the imperial army and navy by re-instating a policy requiring that [[Japan/MinistryOfWar|ministers of the army]] and [[Japan/MinistryOfTheNavy|navy]] must be military officers. However, government dissolved after less than a year due to a disgreement with his minister of the army, '''Hisaichi Terauchi''' ('''寺内 寿一'''). ---- == Legacy == Hirota was charged as a Class A war criminal and sentenced to death by the [[WorldHistory/WorldWar2#International_Military_Tribunal_for_the_Far_East|International Military Tribunal for the Far East]]. While not in command of the military, he almost certainly ''knew'' about the [[WorldHistory/WorldWar2#China|Rape of Nanjing]] and did nothing to remedy it. ---- CategoryRicottone