Tojo was leader of the militarist party in Japan from 1931 and served as Chief of Staff in Manchuria from 1938-40. As War Minister in 1940 he urged closer collaboration between Japan and the European fascist states, Germany and Italy. He became Prime Minister in October and was responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbour. He resigned in July 1944, when it became clear that Japan was approaching defeat. In 1948 Tojo was tried as a major war criminal, found guilty and hanged