Memoirs of an Emperor: Hirohito’s Account of World War II Sells for $275,000

A transcript of the memoirs of Japan’s wartime emperor, Hirohito, in which he explained his country’s reasons for entering World War II, sold at auction in New York on Wednesday for $275,000.

The notes, handwritten in pencil and black ink by an imperial court official, cover the period from 1928 to 1945, and include the emperor’s account of the events leading up to Japan’s entry into World War II, the attack on Pearl Harbor and the country’s surrender.

Katsuya Takasu, the winning bidder, said on Twitter that he intended to bring the transcript back to Japan and return it to the royal family.