The Mikado of the title character as a disrespectful representation of the revered Meiji Emperor; Japanese theatre was prohibited from depicting the emperor on stage. Japanese Prince Komatsu Akihito, who saw an 1886 production in London, took no offence. When Prince Fushimi Sadanaru made a state visit in 1907, the British government banned performances of "The Mikado" from London for six weeks, fearing that the play might offend him – a manoeuvre that backfired when the prince complained that he had hoped to see "The Mikado" during his stay. A Japanese journalist covering the prince's stay attended a proscribed performance and confessed
The Hot Mikado (1939 production) (1908–1954). Thirteen days after "The Hot Mikado" opened at the Broadhurst, "The Swing Mikado" – which had been running in New York since March 1, 1939, at the New Yorker Theatre on West 54th Street (the current site of Studio 54) – moved right across the street to the 44th Street Theatre. According to "The New York Times": The 1939–1940 New York World's Fair production of "The Hot Mikado" lasted for two seasons and was reportedly one of the most popular attractions at the fair. The show was produced on a large scale there, employing 150 actors. A summer-stock revival,