Suzuki, Kantaro (käntärō' sOOzOO'kē) [key], 1867–1948, Japanese admiral. He served briefly as prime minister from Apr., 1945, until Aug. 15, the day after the announcement of Japan's surrender in the last days of World War II. He favored the acceptance of unconditional surrender with the understanding that it did not alter the position of the emperor. Opposed by the military, which wished to negotiate a more favorable settlement, Suzuki called two imperial conferences at which Emperor Hirohito ordered his ministers to capitulate.
