Prince Tsuneyoshi Takeda

Prince Tsuneyoshi Takeda (竹田宮恒徳王, Takeda-no-miya Tsuneyoshi-ō) was born on 4 March 1909 and died on 11 May 1992. He was the second and last heir of the Takeda-no-miya, a collateral branch of the Japanese Imperial Family.

Early Life:

Prince Tsuneyoshi was the sole son of Prince Takeda Tsunehisa and Masako, Princess Tsune. Masako was the sixth daughter of Emperor Meiji, making Prince Tsuneyoshi a first cousin of Emperor Shōwa. He assumed the head of the Takeda-no-miya house on 23 April 1919. He received education at Gakushūin Peers' School and served a session in the House of Peers. In July 1930, he graduated from the 32nd class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy and was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in the cavalry.

Marriage and Family:

On 12 May 1934, Prince Takeda married Sanjo Mitsuko, the youngest daughter of Prince Sanjo Kimiteru. They had five children: three sons and two daughters. Their children are:

- Prince Tsunetada Takeda, born 11 October 1940

- Princess Motoko Takeda, born in 1942

- Princess Noriko Takeda, born in 1943

- Prince Tsuneharu Takeda, born in 1944

- Tsunekazu Takeda, born 1947, who later served as the Japanese ambassador to Bulgaria

Military Career:

Prince Tsuneyoshi served briefly with a cavalry regiment in Manchuria. He was promoted to lieutenant in August 1930 and captain in August 1936. He graduated from the 50th class of the Army War College in 1938. Promoted to major in August 1940, he was attached to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff in Tokyo and headed the Personnel Department. He became lieutenant colonel in August 1943.

Historical allegations concerning Prince Tsuneyoshi’s involvement during World War II have been documented by various sources. Sterling Seagrave stated that between 1940 and 1945, he oversaw the looting of gold and valuables from several countries, with stored deposits in the Philippines, some of which were recovered later.

He held executive responsibilities over Unit 731, conducting biological weapons research with human subjects during the war. According to historian Daniel Barenblatt, Takeda was involved in a screening by Shirō Ishii in 1940 and was alleged to have observed poison gas tests on prisoners, as reported by Hal Gold, who provided testimony regarding Takeda's active involvement in experiments.

Post-war:

Following Japan's surrender and the Allied occupation, the collateral branches of the imperial family, including Prince Tsuneyoshi, were abolished on 14 October 1947, removing his imperial status and categorizing him as a commoner. He retired to an estate in Chiba Prefecture, where he engaged in raising racehorses and promoting sports activities.

He served as president of the Japan Skating Association starting in 1948, became a member of the north Tokyo Rotary Club, and was president of the Japanese Olympic Committee in 1962. He played an active role in the organization of the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1967 to 1981, serving on its executive board for five years.

In 1987, he published a volume of autobiographical essays titled "Kumo no ue shita: Omoide-banashi" (Above and Below the Clouds: Remembrances). Prince Tsuneyoshi died of heart failure on 12 May 1992 at the age of 83.

His heir is his eldest son, Prince Tsunetada Takeda, born in 1940. Prince Tsuneyoshi's former residence, the Takeda palace, and part of its gardens in Tokyo are now part of the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa and are open to the public.

Ancestry:

Prince Tsuneyoshi was descended from the Japanese Imperial Family through his mother, Princess Masako, daughter of Emperor Meiji.