On what date was Emperor Hirohito’s recorded surrender announcement broadcast to Japan?

Emperor Hirohito’s recorded surrender announcement was broadcast to Japan on 15 August 1945. It informed the Japanese public that the government had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and would end the war.

The broadcast was the first time most Japanese people heard the Emperor’s voice. It was transmitted at noon Japan Standard Time and used formal, classical language that many listeners found difficult to understand. The speech did not plainly use the everyday word “surrender,” so a follow-up explanation clarified its meaning.

The recording had been made on 14 August during a tense political crisis. Army hardliners attempted a coup to prevent the broadcast, but palace staff hid the record and preserved it until the next day. The failed coup allowed the announcement to proceed.

This date is often called Victory over Japan Day, although commemorations vary. The United States received the news on 14 August because of the time difference, while the formal surrender ceremony occurred on 2 September aboard USS Missouri.