The failed August 1945 coup attempt against Japan’s surrender decision was called the Kyūjō incident.
The attempted coup began late on August 14, 1945, when hardline army officers tried to prevent Emperor Hirohito’s surrender broadcast. The plotters sought to occupy the Imperial Palace, locate the recording of the Emperor’s message, and stop it from reaching the Japanese public.
Major Kenji Hatanaka was one of the central figures in the attempt. The conspirators gained assistance from some military units in Tokyo, but senior officers did not provide the decisive support needed to overthrow the government. The recording was hidden and preserved overnight.
The coup collapsed in the early hours of August 15. Hirohito’s recorded address was then broadcast, becoming the first time most Japanese people had heard the Emperor’s voice. The incident is also called the Imperial Palace incident, but “Kyūjō incident” is the standard historical name.