Asaakira Kuni

Background

Prince Asaakira Kuni was born on February 2, 1901 in Tokyo. He was the eldest son of Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi and his wife, Chikako, the seventh daughter of Duke Shimazu Tadayoshi, the last daimyo of Satsuma Domain.

Education

In 1921 Prince Asaakira Kuni graduated from the 49th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy. In 1925 graduated from the Naval War College.

Career

Asaakira Kuni served as a midshipman on the cruiser Izumo and battleship Kirishima. After his commissioning as ensign, he was assigned to the battleship Yamashiro, followed by battleships Ise and Nagato.

After his graduation from the Naval Staff College in 1925, he was assigned to the battleship Mutsu, followed by battleship Haruna. He rose to the rank of lieutenant in 1928. In 1931, Prince Asaakira Kuni became the chief gunnery officer aboard the cruiser Kiso. In August 1934, he transferred to the cruiser Yakumo in the same capacity. Two years later, he rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in 1936 and was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff Office. He was reassigned to the battleship Nagato in 1937, at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Asaakira Kuni was promoted to captain in 1938. His first command was that of Yakumo from 9 July 1940. He was subsequently reassigned to naval aviation, commanding air groups at Kisarazu (1 November 1940) and Takao (20 March 1942) during World War II. Prince Asaakira Kuni was promoted to rear admiral on 1 November 1942, and was given personnel of the Southwest Area Fleet (5 October 1942) the Japanese occupation of Timor in the Pacific War. He was promoted to the rank of vice admiral on 1 May 1945, and remained on active service with Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Bureau in the southern front until the end of the war.

In 1947 the nobility ceased to exist in Japan and Prince Asaakira Kuni and his children lost their imperial status and became ordinary citizens. As a former naval officer, he was also purged from holding any public office. Then he founded the Kuni Perfume Co. Kuni Asaakira was well known as an orchid cultivator, so chrysanthemum became the logo of his perfume line. However, since few Japanese had money to purchase luxury items during the American Occupation, the Kuni Perfume Company quickly went bankrupt.

Asaakira Kuni later became president of the Japan Shepherd Dog Association.

Membership

Kuni Asaakira was honorary president of Seiwa Club and also of a marriage promotion society.

Connections

On July 25, 1925, Prince Kuni Asaakira married his cousin, Princess Tomoko (May 18, 1907 – June 30, 1947), the third daughter of Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu. They had eight children: five daughters and three sons.

Father:

Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi

Mother:

Shimazu Chikako

Spouse:

Kuni Tomoko

Daughter:

Princess Kuni Masako

Daughter:

Princess Kuni Asako

Son:

Prince Kuni Kuniaki

Daughter:

Princess Kuni Michiko

Daughter:

Princess Kuni Hideko

Son:

Prince Kuni Asatake

Daughter:

Princess Kuni Noriko

Son:

Prince Kuni Asahiro