Hideki Tojo (Kyūjitai: 東條 英機; Shinjitai: 東条 英機; About this sound Tōjō Hideki ; December 30, 1884 – December 23, 1948) was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA), the leader of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during much of World War II, from October 17, 1941, to July 22, 1944.