Emperor Hirohito’s surrender announcement reached radio listeners in Japan on August 15, 1945.
The recorded speech was broadcast shortly after noon Japan Standard Time. In it, Hirohito announced that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and ordered the Japanese armed forces to cease resistance. It was the first time many Japanese civilians had heard the emperor’s voice.
The speech used formal classical Japanese and did not plainly use the everyday word “surrender,” so many listeners found it difficult to understand. Its indirect language reflected the highly formal style of imperial communications and the sensitivity of announcing defeat.
August 15 is therefore the principal V-J Day date in Japan and several other countries. In the United States, the announcement was heard on August 14 because of the International Date Line and time-zone differences. September 2 remains the date of the formal signing ceremony.