Mitani Takanobu

[1][2] Mitani served briefly in Paris and attended the Washington Naval Conference before returning to Tokyo for assignments in the Treaty department, and then with personnel.

During the 1930s he was First Secretary in the Japanese Embassy in Paris, and thrice served as Chargé d'affaires ad interim between changes of Ambassador.

He saw little hope of success by going through Moscow, and advocated quick overtures to the U.S. and Britain before the Soviet Union decided to enter the Pacific War.

His early years were those of the American occupation, the Korean War and the Peace Treaty conference in San Francisco.

His appointments to Gakushūin, then as Grand Chamberlain, have been seen as part of Hirohito’s consideration in the immediate postwar years of a possible conversion of the royals to Christianity.