The failed coup weakened civilian government in Japan and eliminated moderate leaders, accelerating military dominance over politics in the lead-up to World War II.
Key Facts
- Date of coup attempt
- February 26, 1936
- Rebels surrendered
- February 29, 1936
- Leaders executed
- 19 people
- Leaders imprisoned
- 40 people
- Former PMs assassinated
- 2 people
- Organizers
- Young Imperial Japanese Army officers
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A faction of young Imperial Japanese Army officers, aligned with the radical Kōdōha ideology, sought to purge the government and military of rival factions and ideological opponents. Frustrated by political opponents they viewed as obstacles to national reform, they organized a coordinated uprising to seize power and reshape Japan's leadership.
On February 26, 1936, the rebel officers launched an attempted coup d'état in Tokyo, assassinating several senior officials including two former prime ministers and occupying the government center. However, they failed to kill Prime Minister Okada Keisuke or capture the Imperial Palace. Facing imperial displeasure and military opposition, the rebels surrendered on February 29.
Following the failed coup, 19 leaders were executed for mutiny and 40 more imprisoned. The Kōdōha faction was permanently marginalized within the army. With moderate and liberal civilian leaders killed or weakened, the military consolidated its control over the civilian government, contributing to Japan's increasingly militaristic course through the late 1930s.