How long was Emperor Hirohito's recorded surrender broadcast in 1945?

Emperor Hirohito's recorded surrender broadcast lasted 4 minutes and 36 seconds.

The address, known as the Gyokuon-hoso or Jewel Voice Broadcast, was transmitted by NHK at noon on August 15, 1945. Hirohito read the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War, announcing Japan's acceptance of the Allied terms.

The recording was made at the Imperial Palace late on August 14. Hirohito recorded the message twice because the first take was considered too quiet. The second recording became the official version, while the first was retained as a backup. The recordings were secretly protected during an attempted military coup.

Its short duration did not make the speech easy to follow. Hirohito spoke in courtly Classical Japanese, and the audio quality was poor. The message also avoided a simple conversational statement that Japan had surrendered, so some listeners did not immediately understand its meaning.