What is the Japanese name of Emperor Hirohito’s recorded surrender broadcast?

Gyokuon-hōsō is the Japanese name of Emperor Hirohito’s recorded surrender broadcast.

The broadcast was transmitted at noon Japan Standard Time on 15 August 1945. In it, Hirohito announced Japan’s acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. It was the first time many Japanese subjects had heard the emperor’s voice, and the formal language made the message difficult for some listeners to understand.

The recording had been made the previous day at the Imperial Palace. After Japan’s leaders decided to accept surrender terms, military officers opposed to capitulation attempted to prevent the recording from being broadcast. The recording survived the attempted coup and was transmitted nationwide.

Gyokuon-hōsō is often translated as the “Jewel Voice Broadcast” or “Jewel Voice,” referring to the emperor’s voice in a reverential way. It should not be confused with the formal signing ceremony on 2 September aboard USS Missouri. The broadcast announced Japan’s decision; the later instrument legally formalized the surrender.