The dreamer : Kan'ichi Asakawa

Personal History of Kan'ichi Asakawa (3)

Prediction of the suicide of Hitler
- In 1939	On October 8, Asakawa predicted the suicide of Hitler to Tsutomu Murata (graduate of Yale University, a researcher of Luther, and a Christian social activist (1866-1921), who also served as professor at Japan Women's University).

Hitler "will grow desperate, destroy his own country, and will surrender in humiliation as a criminal who killed other races. He may finally commit suicide." (Extracted from a letter addressed to Murata)

A man who tried to prevent the outbreak of war between U.S. and Japan
- In 1941	On January 19 he predicted to Tsutomu Murata the defeat of Japan, Germany, and Italy. In November he entrusted with a friend a draft of a President Roosevelt letter to Emperor Showa.

Trying to prevent war between the United States and Japan, Asakawa drafted President Roosevelt's autograph letter to Emperor Showa and persuaded influential Americans to support his quest for having the president send the letter. The letter was finally sent dispatched by telegraph but it was too late. Japanese forces had already begun their attack on the Pearl Harbor.

- In 1942	Asakawa reached the age limit and became an honorary professor at Yale University. Thereafter he devoted himself to a comparative study of Western and Eastern law histories, and to writing.
- In 1948	He passed away at his villa in West Wordsborough, Vermont and was buried in the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven. Also, in the Konjiki Cemetery in his hometown, Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, a tomb was erected for Asakawa and his wife Miriam.
- In 1965	The posthumous collection of his works entitled "Land and Society in Medieval Japan" was published.

Tombstone for Kan'ichi Asakawa (Grove Street Cemetery)

Front cover of "Land and Society in Medieval Japan"

Tombstone for Kan'ichi Asakawa
(Konjiki Cemetery,Nihonmatsu)

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