What failed August 1945 coup tried to stop Hirohito's surrender broadcast?
Answer
Kyūjō Incident
The Kyūjō Incident was the failed August 1945 coup that tried to stop Hirohito's surrender broadcast.
The attempted coup took place during the night of August 14–15, just before the emperor's recorded message was scheduled to air. Rebel officers and soldiers occupied parts of the Imperial Palace and searched for the recording containing Hirohito's announcement.
The plotters hoped to prevent Japan from surrendering and preserve continued resistance. They failed to secure broad military support, could not find the recordings in time, and were ordered to abandon the occupation. The broadcast therefore went ahead at noon on August 15.
The incident is sometimes confused with other failed military coups in prewar Japan, including the February 26 Incident of 1936. The Kyūjō Incident was specifically connected to the final decision to surrender and occurred at the very end of World War II.