Page "Kenji Hatanaka" Paragraph 1

Hatanaka served in the Military Affairs Section of the Japanese Ministry of War at the end of World War II.

As one of the leaders of a group of Japanese officers determined to prevent the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and therefore the surrender of Japan, Hatanaka attempted a coup d ' état on 14 – 15 August 1945.

Failing to obtain the support of the War Minister, General Korechika Anami, Hatanaka organised a number of other officers and succeeded in occupying the Imperial Palace and Imperial Household Ministry.