Which Japanese war minister committed suicide after Japan accepted surrender in August 1945?

Korechika Anami was the Japanese war minister who committed suicide after Japan accepted surrender in August 1945.

Anami served as minister of the army in Prime Minister Kantarō Suzuki’s cabinet during the final months of the war. He opposed surrender for much of the crisis, but ultimately obeyed Emperor Hirohito’s decision and helped prevent senior military resistance from overturning it.

On 14 August, Anami signed the cabinet’s surrender decision. He committed seppuku early on 15 August, the morning of the emperor’s surrender broadcast. His death reflected the intense military culture surrounding surrender, which many officers regarded as dishonorable.

Anami’s actions also affected the Kyūjō Incident. Although he had opposed surrender, he did not support the coup plotters’ effort to block the emperor’s broadcast. His refusal to endorse rebellion helped prevent the attempted coup from gaining the support of the army’s senior command.