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General MacArthur’s Tokyo HQMo Ludan | March 15, 2006 | 4 comments | Print | E-mail Situated on the 6th floor of Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance building in Tokyo, the office of General MacArthur remains preserved to this day, hidden away to all but a select few who know of its existence – visits strictly by appointment only.   The Dai-ich building It is said that MacArthur chose to house his Tokyo office on the sixth floor as it was higher even than the Imperial Palace. Whether or not this is true, the wood-panelled HQ is remarkably plain, nice, but is not terribly ornate. There are no crystal chandeliers, fancy floor lamps, or medieval tapestries befitting a reigning monarch, a shogun, or a Fortune 500 CEO. The room is no bigger, maybe even smaller, than a typical corner office of many of today’s self-absorbed senior executives. Except that the General’s office is not even in the corner but in mid-6th floor, overlooking the Imperial Garden – the same garden where Tokyo Rose promised he’d be publicly hanged after the war.  Reception room adjoining MacArthur’s office
MacArthur’s office is between the reception area and his staff’s office. Dai-ichi management has carefully tried to preserve the original setting of the General’s office, including his desk, chair, picture frames, two original paintings by a little-known Boston painter, similar drapes, etc.   The Reception area The Dai-ichi corporate guide claims the Emperor had indeed visited the General’s HQ (the famous photograph of their first meeting took place at the U.S. embassy). Conveniently situated across the Emperor’s Palace grounds, the original 6-story, squat, non-descript Dai-ichi building survived the Tokyo fire bombing of WW2. A high-rise was added a couple of decades later.   The General’s bust, donated years after he left
Due to new security arrangements stemming from disturbances in nearby Korea surrounding the General’s statue at Inchon, all visits are now by appointment. My visit was arranged through Mrs Kyoko Hamada, an executive of Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance and Mr. Yasuhiro Nojiri, a classmate and retired Marketing Director of Boston-based Milipore (Japan) Ltd.
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4 Comments to “General MacArthur’s Tokyo HQ”
This brings back memories from the years 1947-48. I was in the U.S. Army, stationed in Tokyo, and my job as a clerk was in an office in the Dai Ichi building. Although I never was physically in General MacArthur’s office I did see him on several occasions as he entered or left the building. On one occasion I was returning to my my barracks on foot and was in the middle of the street when the General’s limo came by. I stood at attention and saluted as he went by. I’m not sure he even noticed me though. For a young 18 year old the year I spent in Tokyo was a memorable experience.
By Spider Purcell on May 13, 2009 at 4:19 pm
As Senior Purser with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines I visited MacArthurs office in the Dai-Ichi during my Tokyo lay-over somewhere in the 1980’s. At that time I was reading MacArthurs biography and I just asked one of KLM’s Tokyo bureau staff to fetch me an appointment, which I got some ten minutes later. Three Japanese gentlemen of the Dai-Ichi (who hardly spoke any English) took me to the sixth floor, opened some doors, and there it was. Very strange experience because it was, and still is, quite unknown!
The desk on the photograph looks quite empty. I remember some of those famous “corn pipes” of MacArthur on the desk and a visitors book, with only 5 pages of names of visitors. Regards, Lodewijk.
By Lodewijk Jongerius on May 19, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I am visiting Tokyo and hope to see the office. My dad was part of the detail that searched The Grand Hotel and made sure it was secure before McCarthur arrived. It would be exciting to be able to visit it 60+ years since Dad was there.
By Wes Radford on Jun 3, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I was soldier working at the close by Meiji bldg. I regularly walked past the Daichi bldg and saw the General coming and going in his limo in front of the bldg. This drew crowds of 100 to 200 people both Japanese citizens and soldiers from USA, Britain, Australia, India. This was the period between Nov 45 nd May47.
It was a strange experience. People were starving and dying every day.
By William Robertshaw on Jun 7, 2009 at 4:47 am