Vice-Admiral Asaakira, Prince Kuni (久邇宮 朝融王, Kuni-no-miya Asaakira-ō; 2 February 1901 – 7 December 1959), was third head of the Kuni-no-miya, a collateral branch of the Japanese imperial family and vice admiral in the Japanese Imperial Navy during World War II. He was the elder brother of Empress Kōjun (Nagako), the consort of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito), and thus a maternal uncle to the Emperor Emeritus Akihito.
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Early life
Prince Kuni Asaakira was born in Tokyo, the eldest son of Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi and his wife, Chikako, the seventh daughter of Prince Shimazu Tadayoshi, the last daimyō of Satsuma Domain. In 1921, he served for the customary term in the House of Peers. Upon his father's death on 29 June 1929, he succeeded as head of the Kuni-no-miya house.
Military career
Prince Kuni graduated from the 49th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1921. He 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 the battleships Ise and Nagato. After his graduation from the Naval Staff College in 1925, he was assigned to the battleship Mutsu, followed by the battleship Haruna. He rose to the rank of lieutenant in 1928. In 1931, Prince Kuni became the chief gunnery officer aboard the cruiser Kiso.