How long did the recorded Jewel Voice Broadcast last on August 15, 1945?

The recorded Jewel Voice Broadcast lasted 4 minutes and 36 seconds on August 15, 1945.

The address was not delivered live. Hirohito recorded it at the Imperial Palace late on August 14, and Japan’s national broadcaster, NHK, replayed the recording at noon the next day. Technicians made two recordings because the first was considered too quiet and the second became the official version.

The short speech carried enormous historical importance. It was the first known time that the Japanese public heard the emperor’s voice, and the announcement came after years of wartime censorship and state-controlled information. Hirohito used formal classical Japanese and indirect language, which meant that not every listener immediately understood that the war was ending.

The broadcast announced acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration, not the final signing of the surrender instrument. That ceremony occurred on September 2 aboard USS Missouri. Thus, the broadcast’s precise duration belongs to the public announcement, not the later diplomatic ceremony.