Konoe Fumimaro

Konoe Fumimaro became Prime Minister of Japan for the first time. His government oversaw the escalation of the Second Sino-Japanese War following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident.

Konoe announced the establishment of a 'New Order in East Asia,' a policy framework that justified Japanese expansionism and aimed to create a self-sufficient bloc under Japanese leadership, excluding Western powers.

As Prime Minister, Konoe signed the Tripartite Pact with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, forming the Axis alliance. This agreement aligned Japan with the European Axis powers and set the stage for World War II in the Pacific.

Konoe resigned as Prime Minister due to disagreements with the military over the decision to go to war with the United States. He was succeeded by General Tojo Hideki, who led Japan into the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After Japan's surrender in World War II, Konoe Fumimaro was indicted as a war criminal by the Allied occupation authorities. He died by cyanide poisoning, an apparent suicide, before his trial could begin.