The Kyūjō incident was the failed Japanese coup attempt that sought to stop the 1945 surrender broadcast.
The coup began during the night of 14–15 August 1945, after Emperor Hirohito and Japan’s leaders decided to accept the Allied surrender terms. Major Kenji Hatanaka and other officers attempted to occupy the Imperial Palace, place the Emperor under house arrest, and find the recording of Hirohito’s surrender message.
The rebels captured palace personnel and searched for the recording, but they could not secure broad military support. General Shizuichi Tanaka ordered them to withdraw, and the rebellion collapsed before the broadcast was transmitted at noon on 15 August.
The incident is also called the Imperial Palace incident. It should not be confused with the February 26 Incident of 1936, another Japanese military revolt with different causes and leaders. The Kyūjō coup directly concerned the imminent announcement of Japan’s surrender.