The Kyūjō incident was the failed Japanese coup attempted before the 1945 surrender broadcast.
The coup took place during the night of 14–15 August 1945, as military officers tried to prevent Emperor Hirohito’s recorded surrender message from reaching the public. The conspirators attempted to occupy the Tokyo Imperial Palace, place the Emperor under house arrest, and destroy the recording.
Major Kenji Hatanaka was one of the coup’s leaders. The plotters killed Lieutenant General Takeshi Mori and tried to obtain military support, but senior commanders did not endorse their action. The rebellion collapsed before the broadcast proceeded as planned.
The incident is also called the Imperial Palace incident. It is distinct from the Matsue incident, another small uprising that occurred later on 24 August. The surrender recording was broadcast at noon on 15 August, despite the attempted coup.