After the beginning of the American occupation, he served in the cabinet of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, the first post-war government, but he came under suspicion of war crimes, in which he faced almost certain conviction and execution by hanging.
After the beginning of the American occupation, he served in the cabinet of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, the first post-war government. Having refused to collaborate with Bonner Fellers in "operation Blacklist" to exonerate Hirohito and the imperial family of criminal responsibility, he came under suspicion of war crimes, in which he faced almost certain conviction and execution by hanging.