Nagako, Dowager Empress

▪ 2001

      Japanese royal (b. March 6, 1903, Tokyo, Japan—d. June 16, 2000, Tokyo), was the consort of Emperor Hirohito and the mother of Emperor Akihito. The eldest daughter of Prince Kunihiko—a nobleman of a collateral clan of the Japanese Imperial family—Nagako at age 14 was chosen by Hirohito to be his intended bride. The two were married on Jan. 26, 1924. In 1926, upon the death of his father, Hirohito became emperor. Nagako's first responsibility as empress was to produce a male heir. After bearing four daughters, she succeeded, giving birth to Crown Prince Akihito on Dec. 23, 1933. Although seldom seen in public, Nagako became a beloved figure in Japan. She wrote numerous letters of condolence to bereaved families during World War II and later devoted herself to several charities. She was also known as an accomplished painter, poet, and musician. In 1973, at the age of 70, Nagako became Japan's longest-reigning empress, and in 1995—six years after the death of her husband—she became the longest-living dowager empress in Japanese history.

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