Gyokuon-hōsō is the Japanese name commonly given to Hirohito’s recorded surrender broadcast.
The term literally refers to a broadcast of the emperor’s voice and is also translated as the “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” Hirohito recorded the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War on 14 August 1945, and it was transmitted at noon on 15 August.
The recording used formal Classical Japanese, and its low audio quality made it difficult for many listeners to understand. The speech did not plainly use the everyday word “surrender”; instead, it announced that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and would end the war.
The broadcast was historically significant because it was the first time the Japanese public had heard the emperor speak by radio. It also helped instruct Japanese military forces and civilians to accept the decision, although some soldiers continued fighting after the announcement.