Kantarō Suzuki
Kantarō Suzuki | |
|---|---|
鈴木 貫太郎 | |
Suzuki c. 1940s | |
| Prime Minister of Japan | |
| In office 7 April 1945 – 17 August 1945 | |
| Monarch | Hirohito |
| Preceded by | Kuniaki Koiso |
| Succeeded by | Naruhiko Higashikuni |
| President of the Privy Council | |
| In office 15 December 1945 – 13 June 1946 | |
| Monarch | Hirohito |
| Vice President | Shimizu Tōru |
| Preceded by | Hiranuma Kiichirō |
| Succeeded by | Shimizu Tōru |
| In office 10 August 1944 – 7 April 1945 | |
| Monarch | Hirohito |
| Vice President | Shimizu Tōru |
| Preceded by | Yoshimichi Hara |
| Succeeded by | Hiranuma Kiichirō |
| President of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association | |
| In office 7 April 1945 – 13 June 1945 | |
| Deputy | Taketora Ogata |
| Preceded by | Kuniaki Koiso |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 7 April 1945 – 9 April 1945 | |
| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Mamoru Shigemitsu |
| Succeeded by | Shigenori Tōgō |
| Minister of Greater East Asia | |
| In office 7 April 1945 – 9 April 1945 | |
| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Mamoru Shigemitsu |
| Succeeded by | Shigenori Tōgō |
| Vice President of the Privy Council | |
| In office 24 June 1940 – 10 August 1944 | |
| Monarch | Hirohito |
| President | Yoshimichi Hara |
| Preceded by | Yoshimichi Hara |
| Succeeded by | Shimizu Tōru |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 January 1868 Kuze, Izumi, Japan |
| Died | 17 April 1948 (aged 80) Noda, Chiba, Japan |
| Political party | Imperial Rule Assistance Association (1940–1945) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (before 1940; 1945–1948) |
| Spouse |
Taka Adachi (m. 1915) |
| Children | Hajime Suzuki |
| Relatives | Takao Suzuki (brother) Suguru Suzuki (nephew) |
| Alma mater | Imperial Japanese Naval Academy |
| Profession | Admiral, politician |
| Awards | Order of the Golden Kite (3rd class) |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
| Branch/service | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Years of service | 1887–1929 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Akashi, Soya, Shikishima, Tsukuba Maizuru Naval District, IJN 2nd Fleet, IJN 3rd Fleet, Kure Naval District, Combined Fleet |
| Battles/wars | |
Baron Kantarō Suzuki (鈴木 貫太郎; 18 January 1868 – 17 April 1948) was a Japanese politician and admiral who served as prime minister of Japan from 7 April to 17 August 1945, during World War II. He was prime minister at the time of Japan's surrender on 15 August.
Born in Osaka, Suzuki graduated from the Naval Academy and Staff College and served in the First Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese Wars. He was promoted to full admiral in 1923 and served as chief of the naval general staff from 1925 to 1929. In 1945, Suzuki was appointed prime minister shortly after the start of the Battle of Okinawa and the resignation of prime minister Kuniaki Koiso. After the Potsdam Declaration by the Allies on 26 July, which called for Japan's unconditional surrender, Suzuki dismissed it with the word mokusatsu. On 14 August, Suzuki attended the conference at which emperor Hirohito made the decision to surrender over his divided cabinet. Japan surrendered the next day, and Suzuki resigned on 17 August.