Ashida Hitoshi

prime minister of Japan

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

Ashida Hitoshi served as prime minister of Japan for five months in 1948. His tenure was part of a period of political flux following World War II, characterized by unstable and short-lived cabinets. Ashida's premiership followed that of the Socialist leader Katayama Tetsu and preceded the return of Yoshida Shigeru, who would dominate Japanese politics for much of the post-war era. Ashida's brief time in office occurred during the Allied occupation of Japan, a period focused on demilitarization and democratization.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Japan
Political trends
A similar fate confronted Ashida Hitoshi, who became prime minister for five months in 1948. Yoshida’s return to power in the fall of 1948 resulted in a more stable situation and ushered in the Yoshida era, which lasted until 1954. During those years, Japan capitalized on the economic benefits…
Read More
A similar fate confronted Ashida Hitoshi, who became prime minister for five months in 1948. Yoshida’s return to power in the fall of 1948 resulted in a more stable situation and ushered in the Yoshida era, which lasted until 1954. During those years, Japan capitalized on the economic benefits…
Read More