Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni

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His Imperial Highness General Naruhiko, Prince Higashikuni
東久邇宮稔彦王
Formal portrait, c. 1936
Prime Minister of Japan
In office 17 August 1945 – 9 October 1945
Monarch	Shōwa
Preceded by	Kantarō Suzuki
Succeeded by	Kijūrō Shidehara
Minister of the Army
In office 17 August 1945 – 23 August 1945
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Korechika Anami
Succeeded by	Sadamu Shimomura
Member of the House of Peers
In office 3 December 1907 – 23 May 1946
Personal details
Born	(1887-12-03)3 December 1887 Kyoto City, Empire of Japan
Died	20 January 1990(1990-01-20) (aged 102) Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Toshiko, Princess Yasu ​ ​ (m. 1915; died 1978)​
Children	Morihiro Higashikuni Moromasa Higashikuni Akitsune Higashikuni Toshihiko Higashikuni
Parents	Asahiko, Prince Kuni (father) Terao Utako (mother)
Alma mater	Imperial Japanese Army Academy Army War College
Occupation	Imperial Prince General
Awards	Order of the Chrysanthemum Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, Order of the Golden Kite
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Branch/service	Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service	1908–1945
Rank	General
Commands	IJA 4th Division, Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, IJA 2nd Army, General Defense Command
Battles/wars	Second Sino-Japanese War World War II Pacific War
Prince Higashikuni
Tenure	3 November 1906 – 14 October 1947
Successor	Title abolished
Head of the House of Higashikuni
Tenure	3 November 1906 – 20 January 1990
Successor	Nobuhiko Higashikuni
Japanese name
Kanji	東久邇宮稔彦王
Transcriptions Romanization Higashikuni-no-miya Naruhiko Ō

Naruhiko, Prince Higashikuni (東久邇宮稔彦王, Higashikuni-no-miya Naruhiko Ō, 3 December 1887 – 20 January 1990) was a member of the Japanese imperial family and general of the army who served as prime minister of Japan from 17 August to 9 October 1945. He is the only member of the Japanese imperial family to head a cabinet, and Japan's shortest-serving prime minister, serving for only 54 days.

Born in Kyoto, Prince Higashikuni was a son of Prince Kuni Asahiko and married Toshiko, Princess Yasu, a daughter of Emperor Meiji, thus making him an uncle-in-law of Emperor Hirohito. He graduated from the Army Academy and War College, and studied military tactics in France from 1920 to 1926. Upon his return to Japan, he was promoted to general in 1930 and held several military posts, including as commander of the General Defense Command from 1941 to 1944. Prince Higashikuni's appointment as prime minister following the war reflected a hope that his prestige as an imperial prince would help to unite the defeated country. He presided over the signing of the surrender on 2 September 1945 and the disbandment of the armed forces before resigning in opposition to an order by the Allied occupation authorities to abolish the Peace Preservation Law. He became a commoner after the abolition of the princely houses in 1947, and later formed a Buddhist sect. He is the longest-lived of Japan's premiers, dying in 1990 at the age of 102.