Kyūjō Incident

The Kyūjō Incident (宮城事件, Kyūjō Jiken) was the most dramatic last-minute attempt to prevent Japan's surrender at the end of World War II. On the night of August 14–15, 1945, officers from the War Ministry Staff Office — led by Major Kenji Hatanaka (畑中健二), Lieutenant Colonel Jiro Shiizaki (椎崎二郎), and Lieutenant Colonel Masataka Ida — launched a coup d'état to seize the Imperial Palace (宮城, Kyūjō), prevent the broadcast of Emperor Hirohito's recorded surrender announcement, and continue the war.

After Emperor Hirohito personally broke the deadlock in the Supreme War Council and decided to accept the Potsdam Declaration on August 14, War Minister Korechika Anami (阿南惟幾) declined to support the plotters despite personal sympathy. The conspirators proceeded regardless, going to the Imperial Guards Division Headquarters in Kitanomaru to confront the division commander, Lieutenant General Takeshi Mori. When Mori refused to join, he was killed, and Hatanaka forged Strategic Order No. 584 using Mori's seal to mobilize the Guards.

The rebels occupied the Palace grounds from approximately 01:00 to 05:00 AM, sealing off all entrances, cutting telephone lines, and systematically searching for the Gyokuon-ban (玉音盤) — the phonograph records of the Emperor's surrender broadcast. They also detained officials of the Imperial Household Ministry. Despite hours of searching, the records were never found, having been hidden in a safe in the office of a court lady.

By dawn, Eastern District Army commander General Shizuichi Tanaka arrived at the Palace and personally ordered the Guards to stand down, exposing the forged orders. The coup collapsed. Hatanaka made a final desperate attempt to seize NHK broadcasting studios but was turned away. He distributed leaflets explaining his motives, then shot himself in front of the Imperial Palace at approximately 11:00 AM on August 15 — just as the Emperor's Jewel Voice Broadcast (玉音放送) was being transmitted to the nation. War Minister Anami committed seppuku at his residence that same morning. Colonel Shiizaki also took his own life.

The incident is often called "Japan's Longest Day" (日本のいちばん長い日) after the celebrated 1965 book and subsequent films depicting the events.