Background
Prince Akihito was born on February 11, 1846 in Kyoto, Japan. He was at first called Prince Yoshiaki Higashi-Fushimi, later changing his family name to Komatsu.
Prince Akihito was born on February 11, 1846 in Kyoto, Japan. He was at first called Prince Yoshiaki Higashi-Fushimi, later changing his family name to Komatsu.
Eighth son of Prince Kuniie Fushimi, he became a Buddhist priest and succeeded to the family of Ninnaji,a branch of the Imperial Family which entered priesthood. Returning to secular life in 1867, he was appointed Chief of Military Affairs and then Seii Taishogun, or Commander-in-Chief of Imperial Punitive Forces.
He led the Imperial forces in their campaigns against the Tokugawa army at Toba and Fushimi. He visited England, where studied military tactics for two years from 1870-1872, and changed his family name to Komatsu. In 1871, he commanded the Imperial expedition to Aizu (Fukushima Prefecture) to subdue recalcitrants entrenched there. Considered a brilliant military tactician, he helped subdue many of the samurai rebellions in the early years of the Meiji period: in the campaigns against the rebels in the Saga Revolt (1874) and the Seinan Civil War (1877) in Kyushu. Later he was appointed Director oi the Hakuaisha Society, the predecessor of the Japan Red Cross Society.
Promoted to full general and appointed commander of the Imperial Guard Division in 1890 and Chief of the Army General Staff. He commanded the expeditionary forces to China in the Sino-Japanese War in 1895 and was made a member of the Supreme Military Council in 1898. Sent to England as proxy of Emperor Meiji to attend the Coronation in London.