Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu

Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu (秩父宮雍仁親王, Chichibu-no-miya Yasuhito Shinnō), was born on June 25, 1902, and died on January 4, 1953. He was a member of the Japanese Imperial Family, the second son of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako). His elder brother was Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito), and his younger brother was Prince Nobuhito.

Yasuhito was born at Aoyama Detached Palace in Tokyo. Early in his childhood, he and his elder brother were cared for by Count Kawamura Sumiyoshi after being separated from their parents. Following Kawamura's death in 1904, the princes rejoined their parents at the Tōgū-gosho on the Akasaka estate. He attended the Gakushuin Peers' School for elementary and secondary education, alongside Crown Prince Hirohito and Prince Nobuhito, with Prince Takahito born in 1915.

In 1917, Yasuhito enrolled at the Central Military Preparatory School, followed by the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1922. On May 26, 1922, Emperor Taishō granted him the title Chichibu no miya and authorized the creation of a new branch of the imperial family.

In 1925, Yasuhito studied at Magdalen College, Oxford in Great Britain. During his time in the UK, he was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order by King George V. He was known for outdoor activities such as alpinism and was elected as an Honorary member of the Alpine Club in 1928, a membership later revoked during World War II and reinstated in 1952. He returned to Japan in January 1927 following Emperor Taishō's death, who had suffered from health issues for some time. Before the birth of Crown Prince Akihito in December 1933, Yasuhito was the heir presumptive to the throne.

He married Setsuko Matsudaira on September 28, 1928. Setsuko was born in 1909 and was the daughter of Tsuneo Matsudaira, a distinguished diplomat and later Imperial Household Minister. Despite her birth status as a commoner, she was a descendant of the Matsudaira of Aizu, an ancient samurai family linked to the Tokugawa shogunate. Yasuhito and Setsuko were eighth cousins, sharing descent from Nabeshima Katsushige, the first lord of Saga. The marriage did not produce children, as Princess Setsuko experienced a miscarriage. Their marriage was noted as being loving and happy.

In his military career, Yasuhito was commissioned as a second lieutenant in October 1922, assigned to the First Imperial Guard Division. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1925, captain in 1930 after graduating from the Army War College, major in 1935, lieutenant colonel in 1938, colonel in 1939, and major general in March 1945. He commanded the Thirty First Infantry Division stationed at Hirosaki, Aomori, and was involved in various military conflicts leading up to and during World War II. He is believed to have been sympathetic to the ultranationalist Kodoha faction within the military and was possibly involved in the 26 February Incident of 1936. During the early 1930s, he had disagreements with Emperor Hirohito regarding the direction of political and military policy, especially concerning the suspension of the constitution and military influence.

Yasuhito participated in diplomatic and military missions, including representing Japan at King George VI's coronation in 1937 and visiting European countries, including Germany, where he met Adolf Hitler at Nuremberg, an encounter he viewed with skepticism. He was stationed in Manchukuo before the Nomonhan incident and was present in Nanjing after the Nanjing Massacre.

Due to health issues, particularly pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed in June 1940, Yasuhito retired from active duty and spent much of World War II convalescing at his villa in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture. His health declined further, and he was promoted to major general in 1945.

Following the war, Yasuhito served as the honorary head of various sporting organizations and promoted activities such as skiing and rugby. He was also the honorary president of the Japan–British Society and the Swedish Society of Japan and supported scouting movements. He contributed significantly to the development of rugby union in Japan, and the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium was named after him.

Yasuhito died from tuberculosis at his Kugenuma villa in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, on January 4, 1953. His remains were cremated and interred at Toshimagaoka Cemetery in Bunkyō, Tokyo, on January 12, 1953.