Surrender of Japan
July 1944
The Battle of Saipan ended on 7 July, bringing the Home Islands into B-29, Hirohito first told the military to recapture it, having said to Tojo on Hune 17, "If we ever lose Saipan, repeated air attacks on Tokyon will follow. No matter what it takes, we have to hold there.[1]
Hirohito thought the battle was costly enough that a new Prime Minister might encourage an American peace proposal. He withdrew support from Hideki Toko and replaced him with a covert operations specialist, Koisi Kuniaki.[2]
February 1945
Just before the start of the Battle of Iwo Jima and six weeks before the Battle of Okinawa, Hirohito met with former Lord Privy Seal Nobuaki Makino, and six former prime ministers — Kiichi Hiranuma, Koki Hirota, Reiijiro Wataskuki, Keisuke Okada and Fumimaro Konoe. They recommended continuing the war; Hiranuma and Hirota specifically mentioned fighting to the end while others suggesting finding an opportune moment. [3]