On 15 August 1945, World War II ended with Emperor Hirohito′s "Jewel Voice Broadcast" announcing the cessation of hostilities between Japan and the Allies. Not willing to accept defeat, "I-47"′s crew decided to refuse to surrender and to try to reach Japanese-held Rabaul on New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago, where they hoped to continue to fight. "I-47" crewmen boarded a "kaibokan" escort vessel in the harbor at Kure and confiscated its food supply and several rifles and machine guns. They gave up on their plan when they could not find enough fuel for the voyage to Rabaul, and they abandoned "I-47". "I-47" surrendered to the Allies on 2 September 1945, the same day that Japan formally surrendered in a ceremony aboard the battleship in Tokyo Bay.