Hirohito's 1945 surrender broadcast was aired at 12:00 noon Japan Standard Time. The recorded message, known in Japan as the Gyokuon-hōsō, was transmitted on August 15, 1945, after Japan had decided to accept the Allied terms.
The speech was not delivered live. NHK technicians recorded Hirohito reading the rescript at the Imperial Palace late on August 14, and the recording was replayed the following day. It lasted about four minutes and 36 seconds.
The broadcast was historically unusual because ordinary Japanese people had never previously heard their emperor speak publicly. Hirohito used formal Classical Japanese, and the poor sound quality made the message difficult for many listeners to understand. He did not plainly say “Japan surrenders”; instead, he announced acceptance of the Allied declaration.
A radio announcer clarified the meaning immediately afterward. The broadcast date is often called V-J Day in Japan and is associated with Japan’s announced surrender, while the formal signing ceremony came later.