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Hideki Tōjō (Kyūjitai: 東條 英機; Shinjitai: 東条 英機; Tōjō Hideki (help·info)) (30 December 1884 – 23 December 1948) was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA), a leader of the Taisei Yokusankai, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during much of World War II, from 18 October 1941 to 22 July 1944. Some historians hold him responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to America entering World War II. After the end of the war, Tōjō was sentenced to death for war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and hanged on 23 December 1948.
Hideki Tōjō was born in the Kōjimachi district of Tokyo in 1884. He was the third son of Hidenori Tōjō, a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army. Tōjō's two older brothers died before he was born, so he was considered the oldest and received the treatment and rights that an eldest Japanese child would receive, which includes an immense amount of honor. In 1909, he married Katsuko Ito, with whom he had three sons and four daughters.
In 1933, Tōjō was promoted to major general and served as Chief of the Personnel Department within the Army Ministry.