March Incident

The March Incident (三月事件, Sangatsu Jiken^?) was an abortive coup d'état attempt in Japan, in March 1931, launched by the radical Sakurakai secret society within the Imperial Japanese Army, aided by civilian ultranationalist groups.

The start of the March Incident of 1931 may be traced back to the autumn of 1930, when the foundation of the Sakurakai (Cherry Society) by Imperial Japanese Army Lt. Col. Kingoro Hashimoto and Capt. Isamu Chō. The cherry blossom was symbolic of self-sacrifice, and was a symbol used by the military to symbolize the fleeting life of a soldier. The avowed goal of the Sakurakai was political reform through elimination of corrupt party politics and the establishment of a totalitarian state socialist government run by the military. The new government would rid the country of corrupt politics, unfair distribution of wealth in the zaibatsu and perceived degenerative influences corrupting Japan's public morals.

After the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi, Prince Kinmochi Saionji (the last genrō ) and Lord Privy Seal Makino Nobuaki considered recommending Gen. Kazushige Ugaki to the post of prime minister. However, they later decided that a civilian nominee would be best for Japan at that time. This change incensed the militarist party within the Imperial Japanese Army, and several leading generals called on Hashimoto and his Sakurakai to plan a coup d'état to bring Ugaki into power.

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