Togo Heihachiro's death need not have ended the emperor's access to the relationships built around his tutor. Togo had apparently introduced a friend as a successor, and later accounts of that person's relationship with Hirohito suggest a similar advisory role. The identification and continuity of the arrangement remain tentative. A tutor or another personal imperial adviser occupied a different position from a cabinet minister, and the emperor could retain such a relationship throughout his reign. Distinguishing court appointments from government offices matters when assessing who supplied Hirohito with information and advice.
Notable Point · 20:42-22:25
Togo's tutorship and Hirohito's continuing advisers
Togo's personal connections may have preserved an advisory relationship with Hirohito through a successor outside ordinary cabinet office.