On what date was Emperor Hirohito's surrender broadcast to the Japanese public first aired?

Emperor Hirohito's surrender broadcast was first aired to the Japanese public on August 15, 1945.

The recorded speech announced Japan's acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and called on the Japanese people to endure the unbearable. It followed a tense decision by Japan's leadership after the atomic bombings and the Soviet Union's entry into the war against Japan.

The broadcast was unusual because the emperor had rarely been heard publicly. Its formal language, called classical Japanese, and the recording's low quality made the message difficult for many listeners to follow. Nevertheless, it became the defining public announcement of Japan's surrender.

The formal legal surrender came later, on September 2, aboard the USS Missouri. This distinction explains why August 15 and September 2 are both associated with V-J Day and the end of the Pacific War.