YOSHIHITO (1879-1926), 123rd Emperor of Japan, third son of the Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito), was born at Tokyo on Aug. 31, 1879. On the eighth anniversary of his birthday the Prince was proclaimed heir-apparent, the first and second sons of the Emperor Meiji having died in infancy. In Sept. 1887 the Prince commenced attending the Peers' School, and on Nov. 3, 1889, entered the army and was declared imperial crown prince. Two years later he left the school to continue his studies under private tutors. In 1897 he took his seat, in accordance with prescriptive right, in the house of peers. On May Io, 1900, the crown prince married Sadako, fourth daughter of the late Prince Michitaka Kujo, and on April 29, 1901, a son, Hirohito, was born, followed by a second son Prince Yasuhito Chichibunomiya, on June 25, 1902, and a third, Prince Nobuhito Takamatsuno miya, on Jan. 3, 1905. On July 3o, 1912, on the demise of his father, the crown prince ascended the throne but owing to the national mourning the formal ceremony of enthronement did not take place until Nov. 1914. His reign was proclaimed as the
era of Taisho (Righteousness). In the following year a fourth son, Prince Takahito Suminomiya, was born on Dec. 2. Owing to the indifferent health of the Emperor, whose life was a con stant struggle against disease, his son Hirohito became prince regent on Nov. 25, 1921. The Emperor died on Dec. 25, 1926, of heart failure following bronchial pneumonia. The reign of Hiro hito, who succeeded his father as emperor, is designated the period of Showa (Light and Peace).
Prince Chichibu (Yasuhito Chichibunomiya) came to England in 1925 and studied at Magdalen College, Oxford. He left Eng land for Japan in Dec. 1926, when his father was seriously ill. He married Princess Setsuko, the eldest daughter of Ambassador Matsudaira, on Sept. 28, 1928.