US tries to install a Presidential Government in Post-WWII Japan...how does this end?

[GameBawesome]

What if, in the aftermath of WWII, the United States installs a Presidential Republican Government, with a Japanese President in Post-WWII Japan. However, this sees the abolishment of the Japanese Emperor, who is dethroned and lives as a private citizen...

Now seeing how important the Emperor and Imperial Family is to Japanese Culture and Society, and the US abolished it and installed a president, in a new Japanese Republic, how would this realistically end?

 

[Admiral Spaun]

Honestly, as long as the government is anti Soviet, I don't think the Americans care who would be in charge.

 

[Gillan1220]

There would be protests against for sure. Might devolve into riots. The U.S. occupational forces would struggle to maintain order. The Emperor is a very reveared figure in Japan. Perhaps it could be like OTL where the Emperor is figurative symbol while the constitutional republic is established.

 

[Nivek]

There would be riots, the emperor is japan symbol for a reason, even in modern japan

that remind me this manga https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_President_of_Japan when the prime minister evolved in a presidential matter yet the emperor exist as a ceremonial 'first japanese' on a way

 

[Hugh Third of Five]

Honestly, as long as the government is anti Soviet, I don't think the Americans care who would be in charge.

The USA was willing to look the other way for Franco because he didn't start a massive war of conquest and the military juntas, but neither West Germany nor Japan will be allowed to return to fascism or any other form of authoritarian government. Neither the British nor the Americans would tolerate it. There would definitely be protests, probably riots, and there's a good chance we'd see some monarchist terrorists/guerillas, but the Republic would survive; the western allies would make sure of that. If they've decided to get rid of the emperor, then any compromise that involved putting him back would be seen (probably rightly) as caving to the fascists, emboldening them. Although the USA was definitely the predominant western power in the Pacific, I'm not sure this idea would come from American leadership. MacArthur wasn't the only one who favored keeping the emperor as a figurehead; despite Byrnes' bellicosity, the US State Department generally favored the idea as well. The British were much more upset that Hirohito didn't get the noose. Perhaps if he doesn't cooperate. The question is how such a situation arises, since although it's plausible for the western allies to institute a presidential republic, it's highly unlikely that at some point in the occupation the USA would choose to do so. If Hirohito refuses to surrender I wonder how many of the fanatics would be left alive by the time the fighting is over, and you could bet in those circumstances that a lot of the fascists would be dead from conventional fighting. If he surrendered per OTL but for whatever reason refused to cooperate, then the allies would remove him and would be very unwilling to compromise both from anger and lack of trust.

 

[Alternator]

If the United States can be convinced to remove the Emperor in the first place - and this isn't going to be easy, since there was widespread recognition that it would make rebuilding Japan as a pro-Western nation much easier - then there's nothing the Japanese people can do about it; the military is broken, the nation is occupied, and the people are starving. Protests are inevitable, but if the political will to create this scenario exists, then the protests are not going to be enough.

 

[Changundramon]

This makes the likelihood of Japan becoming socialist greater. In fact, American occupation authorities may be forced to tolerate leftists in power, since they were the force that agreed with a republican Japan.