Haruko - Imperatrice du Japon - Empress of Japan - Consort of Emperor Meiji and the first western-style consort in Japan's history. Born in Kyoto on 28th May 1850, her original name was Masako and she adopted the name haruko after her marriage on 2nd September 1867. Six months later, she was given the title kogo or empress consort. She helped organise the Japan Red Cross Society during the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), and remained its patron for the rest of her life. She became the Empress Dowager Haruko on 30th July 1912 and died on 19th April 1914 in Tokyo. Emperor Taisho bestowed the posthumous name of Shoken upon her. ?007 TopFoto