Saburō Kurusu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saburō Kurusu
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| 来栖 三郎 | |
Kurusu in 27 November 1941
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| Born | March 6, 1886 |
| Died | April 7, 1954 (aged 68) |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Spouse(s) |
Alice Jay Little
(m. 1914) |
| Children | Ryō, Jaye, Teruko Pia |
Saburō Kurusu (来栖 三郎, Kurusu Saburō, March 6, 1886 – April 7, 1954) was a Japanese diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in talks with other nations. Kurusu is known for trying to make peace with the United States. This happened while the Japanese government was secretly planning the attack on Pearl Harbor.
From 1939 to 1941, he was Japan's ambassador to Germany. An ambassador is a country's main representative in another country. On September 27, 1940, he signed the Tripartite Pact. This was an agreement between Japan, Germany, and Italy. These three countries became known as the Axis powers during World War II.
Contents
Saburō Kurusu's Early Life and Career
Saburō Kurusu was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, in 1886. He finished college in Tokyo in 1909. The next year, he started working as a diplomat. In 1914, he came to the United States for the first time. He worked as the Japanese Consul in Chicago. A consul helps their country's citizens and businesses in a foreign city.
While in Chicago, Kurusu married Alice Jay Little. They had three children. Their son, Ryō, and daughter, Jaye, were born in the United States. Another daughter, Teruko Pia, was born in Italy. Both daughters later married Americans and moved back to the United States. Sadly, his only son, Ryō, died in 1945.
Kurusu worked in many countries, including Chile, Italy, Germany, and Peru. In 1930, he was the Japanese Consul in Lima, Peru. He tried to calm down anti-Japanese feelings there. He suggested that Japanese immigrants settle in the countryside instead of the city. Later, he became a director in Japan's Foreign Office. He helped negotiate trade agreements with other countries. In 1937, he became the ambassador to Belgium. Two years later, he became the ambassador to Germany.
Peace Talks Before Pearl Harbor
In 1941, talks between the United States and Japan were not going well. Japan sent Kurusu to Washington, D.C., as a "special envoy." This meant he was sent for a specific, important mission. He arrived on November 15 and told reporters he was happy to be there. Two days later, he met with President Roosevelt.
On November 20, Kurusu presented Japan's ideas for peace. Japan wanted the United States to stop helping China. They also wanted the US to restart trade that had been stopped. But on November 26, the US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, gave Japan America's demands. This was called the Hull note. The US wanted Japan to remove its troops from China. They also wanted Japan to end its alliance with Germany and Italy. Kurusu felt that Japan would not agree to these demands.
For the next three weeks, Kurusu and Ambassador Kichisaburō Nomura continued to talk with Hull. They were waiting for Japan's final answer. On the afternoon of December 7, Kurusu gave Japan's reply. It said that Japan could not agree with the US. At that exact moment, the attack on Pearl Harbor had already begun. Kurusu and Nomura did not know this. When reporters asked them questions, they had no answers.
The next day, President Roosevelt spoke to Congress. He said that Japan's diplomats gave their message one hour after the bombing of Pearl Harbor started.
Life After the War
After the Pearl Harbor attack, Kurusu was held in the United States. Later, the US and Japan agreed to exchange their diplomats and citizens. In June 1942, Kurusu sailed back to Japan. He was on a ship that also brought American diplomats, like Ambassador Joseph Grew, back to the US.
After World War II ended, an American military court decided not to charge Kurusu or Nomura with any crimes. Kurusu became a visiting professor at Tokyo University. He lived in the countryside with his wife, Alice.
Kurusu always said that he did not know about the plans for Pearl Harbor. He said that the Japanese military kept their secrets very well. He passed away at the age of 68.
In Popular Culture
Actor Hisao Toake played Saburō Kurusu in the 1970 movie Tora! Tora! Tora!.
See also
In Spanish: Saburō Kurusu para niños
