Lt. Col. Shiizaki

Jiro Shiizaki Rank: Lieutenant Colonel, Imperial Japanese Army Affiliation: Imperial General Headquarters (Army Section) Role: Staff Officer In response to the Japanese government's acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and the move toward ending the war, Shiizaki and a group of young officers reacted with intense hostility. They plotted to stop the termination of hostilities and sabotage the broadcast of the Emperor's Rescript, the so-called Jewel Voice Broadcast. Shiizaki acted alongside Major Kenji Hatanaka, involving himself in the plan to mobilize parts of the Imperial Guard Division to effectively seize control of the Imperial Palace. However, the plan failed to gain official support from the Army high command. In the early hours of August 15, after the rebellion collapsed, Shiizaki committed suicide near the Imperial Palace along with Hatanaka and others.

Lt. Col. Ida

Masataka Ida Rank: Lieutenant Colonel, Imperial Japanese Army Role: Staff Officer, Imperial General Headquarters Position in the Kyūjō Incident: One of the central staff officers of the plot Just before the end of the war, he was a key figure among the young officers who, along with Kenji Hatanaka, plotted to prevent the surrender. Ida had a clear grasp of the situation within the Army central command and worked to secure the support of senior officers to ensure the coup's success. However, he was unable to obtain explicit backing from the Army leadership. Ultimately, rather than expanding the coup, he moved toward resolving the situation and joined the side persuading the young officers to abandon their plan.

Lt. Col. Takeshita

Masahiko Takeshita Rank: Lieutenant Colonel, Imperial Japanese Army Affiliation: Military Affairs Bureau, Ministry of War Position in the Kyūjō Incident: Key member of the coup plot Takeshita was an officer in the Military Affairs Bureau who was deeply involved with the young officers opposing the end of the war. Alongside Hatanaka and Shiizaki, he participated in the movement to continue the war and block the surrender. He was involved in coordinating with officers in the Army central command and activities to realize the plan. However, because the Minister of War, Korechika Anami, and other Army leaders did not officially recognize the coup, the plan gradually reached a deadlock.

Major Koga

Hidemasa Koga Rank: Major, Imperial Japanese Army Affiliation: Imperial Guard Division Position in the Kyūjō Incident: Internal collaborator within the Imperial Guard As a staff officer of the Imperial Guard Division, Koga was positioned within the unit responsible for the security and defense of the Imperial Palace. In the Kyūjō Incident, he held a vital position in linking Hatanaka's plan with the actual deployment of Imperial Guard troops. Since the rebels intended to use the Imperial Guard to seize the palace and prevent the broadcast of the Rescript, Koga's presence as an internal officer was crucial.

War Minister Anami

Korechika Anami Rank: General, Imperial Japanese Army Role: Minister of War Korechika Anami was one of the highest-ranking officials in the Imperial Japanese Army, serving as Minister of War during the final phase of the Greater East Asia War. In August 1945, as the government and military clashed fiercely over whether to accept the Potsdam Declaration, Anami was the central figure for the Army faction advocating for total resistance, including a decisive battle on the home islands. However, Anami occupied a different position than young officers like Major Kenji Hatanaka and Lieutenant Colonel Jiro Shiizaki. They plotted the Kyūjō Incident to occupy the palace and sabotage the Jewel Voice Broadcast. While Hatanaka and others tried to draw Anami into the plot, Anami did not authorize the coup. On August 14, once Emperor Hirohito made his intention to end the war clear, Anami ultimately followed that decision. He signed the Imperial Rescript as Minister of War and maintained the chain of command for the Army. At the same time, because Anami himself had strongly advocated for continuing the war, he was a deeply complex figure caught between the politicians seeking peace and the young officers demanding a fight to the end.

Eastern District Army

Eastern District Army (Tōbu-gun) Name: Eastern District Army Type: Area Army-level unit of the Imperial Japanese Army Jurisdiction: Eastern Japan, centered on the Kantō region Headquarters: Tokyo Primary Missions: Home island defense, air defense, and control of units within the military district Commander in August 1945: General Shizuichi Tanaka The Eastern District Army was an area army-level unit formed for the defense of the Japanese mainland, responsible for the defense of eastern Japan, including Tokyo. In 1945, as air raids on the Japanese mainland intensified and the possibility of an Allied landing grew, the Eastern District Army became a vital military organization responsible for the defense of the capital region. In the final moments of the war, the Eastern District Army became a decisive factor in the success or failure of the Kyūjō Incident.

Gen. Mori, Imperial Guard

Takeshi Mori Rank: Lieutenant General, Imperial Japanese Army Role: Commander of the 1st Imperial Guard Division Affiliation: Imperial Japanese Army Takeshi Mori was the Lieutenant General serving as the Commander of the Imperial Guard Division in the final days of the war.