“When I calmly consider this, the flame of anxiety burns my body. Towards the public, I am deeply ashamed of my lack of discretion… I would like to apologise to successive emperors and people by doing my best for reconstruction of the nation and people's happiness.”

—  Hirohito

Draft of undelivered speech (1948); published in the magazine Bungeishunju as quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald (11 June 2003).

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Feb. 19, 2023. History

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Hirohito 9
Emperor of Japan from 1926 until 1989 1901–1989

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