The Imperial Household Agency has released its official biography of the late Empress Nagako, known posthumously as Kojun, that fills in historical gaps of her life and roles during Japan's imperial age to its defeat in World War II.

The chronological account was made available on the agency's website in the morning of Oct. 9 with the physical version accessible at its information desk. It was presented to her paternal grandson Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Sept. 18 in preparation for the public release.

While fragmented news reports during wartime note her visits to military hospitals and meetings with soldiers before and after their deployment, "Kojun Kogo Jitsuroku" (The imperial record of Empress Kojun) draws on the agency's internal documents.

Among accounts from those close to her are her “ryoji,” or empress's official messages, and some 240 transcriptions of her words. These also include records of her supplying more than 50,000 bandages as well as 160 cases of providing prosthetic limbs and artificial eyes.

Much of Kojun's role involved support operations, and she did meet with senior military leaders.

One notable episode features an exchange with Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the combined fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

The empress reportedly said, “I deeply appreciate the hardship of undertaking such a grave mission.” Their meeting was on Dec. 3, 1941—days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the outbreak of World War II in the Pacific Theater. 

Kojun, who lived from 1903 to 2000, experienced a succession of major clashes. These include the 1931 Manchurian Incident; the Second Sino-Japanese War, which lasted from 1937 to 1945; and the Pacific War, which spanned 1941 to 1945.

Although her military involvement followed traditions set by her predecessors, such as Empress Shoken (wife of Emperor Meiji) and Empress Teimei (wife of Emperor Taisho), the Imperial Household Agency noted that her activities were far more extensive due to these overlapping global conflicts.

NEARLY 4,000 PAGES LONG

The record also portrays her deep affection for her children. 

When her second daughter fell critically ill, Kojun repeatedly fed the infant breast milk soaked in cotton before she died at 6 months old. The record also includes a poem lamenting the death of her eldest daughter at 35.

Fewer records exist with Kojun's personal statements compared to those of her husband, Emperor Showa. As a result, the agency's official record contains limited entries with her actual words and emotions.

Private matters deemed unnecessary for conveying the empress' legacy were excluded, and details of her declining health in later years were kept minimal out of respect for her privacy. 

These decisions fell to the Archives and Mausolea Department of the Imperial Household Agency that started the 17-year compilation process in 2008. 

The work spans 3,828 pages and is the longest of any imperial empress to date. As many as 42 staff members were involved in the undertaking that cost around 55.9 million yen ($366,613).

It is largely based on diaries of court ladies, along with about 1,500 related documents and interviews with 30 former aides.

ROLE UNDER THE OLD CONSITUTION

One expert on Emperor Showa's life commented the record shows that the key role of the empress during wartime was to encourage and support military personnel in contrast to the emperor's role as supreme commander.

Although she did not receive direct briefings from military officers like her husband, her activities and words suggest Kojun was well-informed about the war's progress.

Kojun's key duty during wartime, however, is depicted as encouraging and supporting military personnel—a complement to the emperor's role as supreme commander. 

Furukawa also observed that the biography held fewer clues to Kojun's personal thoughts and character, resulting in a more superficial tone than the agency's “Showa Tenno Jitsuroku" (The imperial record of Emperor Showa) released prior to Kojun's.

While fewer records and project restrictions on a government publication make this understandable, he believes that more materials must be shared with the public to advance historical research from diverse perspectives. 

(This article was written by Ayako Nakada and Ryuichi Kitano.)