Which primary role did Hideki Tojo play for Japan during most of WWII?

Hideki Tojo (1884-1948) served in several positions in Japan, some simultaneously. These included as Prime Minister of Japan (1941-1944), Minister of War (1940-1944), and Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office for 5 months in 1944. His primary role was leading the war effort against the Allied forces of WWII.

After Japan’s unconditional surrender in 1945, he was suspected of war crimes and when American soldiers were sent to serve him an arrest warrant, he shot himself in the chest with a pistol, but missed the heart. He survived, stood trial for war crimes and was found guilty of, waging wars of aggression, war in violation of international law, unprovoked and aggressive war against various nations, and authorizing the inhuman treatment of prisoners of war including massacre, human experimentation, starvation, and forced labor.

In his final statement, he apologized for the atrocities committed by the Japanese military and urged the American military to show compassion toward the Japanese people, who had suffered devastating air attacks and the two atomic bombings. He was executed by hanging on December 23, 1948.

His body was cremated and the ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Yokohama from a US Army aircraft, along with the ashes of six other Class-A Japanese war criminals.