Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender to the Japanese public on 15 August 1945.
The recorded announcement was broadcast at noon Japan Standard Time. Hirohito read the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War, telling listeners that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. Although the word “surrender” was not used directly, the message made clear that Japan would end the war.
This announcement is often confused with the formal surrender ceremony, which took place on 2 September 1945 aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The date also differed across time zones: the announcement reached audiences in the United States on 14 August.
The broadcast was historically important because it was the first time most Japanese civilians had heard their emperor’s voice. Its formal language and poor audio quality made the meaning difficult for many listeners to understand immediately.