In what language did Hirohito deliver Japan’s 1945 surrender broadcast?

Hirohito delivered Japan’s 1945 surrender broadcast in Classical Japanese.

The Emperor used formal court language in the recorded rescript broadcast by NHK on August 15, 1945. Its vocabulary, pronunciation, and style were unfamiliar to many ordinary Japanese listeners, making the announcement difficult to understand immediately.

Hirohito also avoided a simple, direct phrase such as “Japan surrenders.” Instead, he said that Japan had accepted the terms of the Allied declaration. A radio announcer explained afterward that the Emperor’s message meant Japan was surrendering.

The broadcast’s indirect language reflected imperial court conventions and the political sensitivity of announcing defeat. It also explains why the speech is remembered as both historic and unusually difficult for its original audience to interpret.