Kuniaki Koiso

Kuniaki Koiso
小磯 國昭
Koiso c. 1940s
Prime Minister of Japan
In office
22 July 1944  7 April 1945
MonarchHirohito
Preceded byHideki Tojo
Succeeded byKantarō Suzuki
President of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association
In office
22 July 1944  7 April 1945
DeputyTaketora Ogata
Preceded byHideki Tojo
Succeeded byKantarō Suzuki
Governor-General of Korea
In office
15 June 1942  22 July 1944
MonarchHirohito
Preceded byJirō Minami
Succeeded byNobuyuki Abe
Minister of Colonial Affairs
In office
16 January 1940  22 July 1940
Prime MinisterMitsumasa Yonai
Preceded byTsuneo Kanemitsu
Succeeded byYōsuke Matsuoka
In office
7 April 1939  30 August 1939
Prime MinisterKiichirō Hiranuma
Preceded byYoshiaki Hatta
Succeeded byTsuneo Kanemitsu
Personal details
Born(1880-03-22)22 March 1880
Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Empire of Japan
Died3 November 1950(1950-11-03) (aged 70)
Sugamo Prison, Tokyo, Allied-occupied Japan
Resting placeAoyama Cemetery
Political partyImperial Rule Assistance Association (1940–1945)
Other political
affiliations
Sakurakai
Spouse
Kaoriko Koiso
(m. 1907; died 1950)
Alma materImperial Japanese Army Academy
Army War College
ProfessionSoldier
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Japan
Branch/service Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service1900–1938
Rank General
Commands

Kuniaki Koiso (小磯 國昭, Koiso Kuniaki; 22 March 1880 – 3 November 1950) was a Japanese politician and general who served as prime minister of Japan from 1944 to 1945, during World War II. He previously served as minister of colonial affairs in 1939 and 1940, and as governor-general of Korea from 1942 to 1944. Koiso resigned as premier after the start of the Battle of Okinawa, and following Japan's surrender he was convicted as a Class A war criminal and sentenced to life imprisonment, dying in prison in 1950.