Should Hirohito remained as Emperor?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Of course not. This is the main cause of all the anti-Japan demonstrations lately. People in many Asian countries are very mad that the man who presided over some of the worst war crimes in history, like the Rape of Nanking and Baatan Death March was allowed to reign for a faaaaaaar longer time and was never tried as the war criminal he was.

[12th Doctor]

Togo was the main cause of the war and most of the crimes assosiated with it.  The emporor had very little real power.  Keeping him in after the war was a smart idea, because it kept the Japanese from rioting against us.  Hirohito preached the western line after the war and it kept the Japanese placated.

[J. J.]

Togo was the main cause of the war and most of the crimes assosiated with it.  The emporor had very little real power.  Keeping him in after the war was a smart idea, because it kept the Japanese from rioting against us.  Hirohito preached the western line after the war and it kept the Japanese placated.

First, it was Tojo that you are thinking of, as Admiral Togo (of Russo-Japanese War) was long dead.

Second, there were alot of governmental types, including the Emperor, supporting the war.  His role really was greater than initially thought.

Third, even with that, he was the leading force behind the surrender and threw his support behind the American occupation.  Based on that, he should have stayed.  He could have made it much rougher for the US, had he chosen to do so.

[MasterJedi]

No, he definitly shouldn't have stayed on as Emperor!

[Platypus]

Togo was the main cause of the war and most of the crimes assosiated with it. The emporor had very little real power. Keeping him in after the war was a smart idea, because it kept the Japanese from rioting against us. Hirohito preached the western line after the war and it kept the Japanese placated.

[dazzleman]

There's no point in looking back and arguing with success.

The occupation of Japan, and it's reorientation toward peaceful democracy, was highly successful.  We could only hope to have this type of success in the Muslim world.

So I would say that yes, it was the right decision to have allowed Hirohito to remain Japanese emperor after the war.  It has been argued that the forced abdication of the Kaiser in Germany after World War I is one of the things that encouraged the eventual rise of Hitler.  There is a point beyond which you don't go even in dictating to a defeated enemy, if you want peace in the future.

[ragnar]

There's no point in looking back and arguing with success.

The occupation of Japan, and it's reorientation toward peaceful democracy, was highly successful.  We could only hope to have this type of success in the Muslim world.

So I would say that yes, it was the right decision to have allowed Hirohito to remain Japanese emperor after the war.  It has been argued that the forced abdication of the Kaiser in Germany after World War I is one of the things that encouraged the eventual rise of Hitler.  There is a point beyond which you don't go even in dictating to a defeated enemy, if you want peace in the future.

[Blerpiez]

Yes.  He helped the support of the American occupation and his continuing reign improved morale.

[Minarchist]

Yes, he turned in to an immensly valuable asset during the occupation