Dec. 2, 1915 — Born as the fourth son of Emperor Taisho.
April 1932 — Enrolls in the Military Academy and graduates four years later.
December 1939 — Enters the Military Staff College.
Oct. 22, 1941 — Marries Yuriko Takagi, the second daughter of nobleman and entomologist Masanari Takagi.
December — Graduates from the Military Staff College. The Pacific phase of World War II starts.
January 1943 — Posted to Nanking, China, as an Imperial Japanese Army officer under a pseudonym.
January 1944 — Returns to Japan and serves as a staff officer in the Army Section of the Imperial General Headquarters.
April 26 — First daughter, later Princess Yasuko, born.
Aug. 15, 1945 — World War II ends.
Jan. 5, 1946 — First son, later Prince Tomohito, born.
Feb. 11, 1948 — Second son, later Prince Katsura, born.
Oct. 23, 1951 — Second daughter, later Princess Masako, born.
Dec. 29, 1954 — Third son, later Prince Takamado, born.
Nov. 21, 2002 — Prince Takamado dies at the age of 47.
June 6, 2012 — Prince Tomohito dies at the age of 66.
July 11 — Prince Mikasa undergoes surgery to correct a defective heart valve.
June 8, 2014 — Prince Katsura dies of acute heart failure at the age of 66.
Dec. 2, 2015 — Prince Mikasa turns 100 years old.
Oct. 27, 2016 — Dies of cardiac arrest at a Tokyo hospital at the age of 100.