Kuniaki Koiso
Ōdachi returned to Japan in 1943, and with the amalgamation of Tokyo City and Tokyo-fu into Tokyo Metropolis, he became the first Administrator of Tokyo, a position equivalent to the present Governor of Tokyo. As the war situations was quickly deteriorating for Japan, and Tokyo came under increasing thread of attack, he organized the evacuation of children from Tokyo. In September 1943, he gave the order to destroy all of the animals at Ueno Zoo, an act recounted in the post-war book "Faithful Elephants." In July 1944, he was asked to join the cabinet of Prime Minister Kuniaki Koiso as Home Minister. Ōdachi was awarded the 1st class of the Order of the Sacred Treasure on September 12, 1944.