Emperor Hirohito’s recorded 1945 surrender broadcast to Japan was commonly called Gyokuon-hōsō.
The Japanese name means “Jewel Voice Broadcast,” a respectful reference to the emperor’s voice. Hirohito recorded the speech on August 14, 1945, and it was broadcast at noon Japanese time on August 15. It announced Japan’s acceptance of the Allied surrender terms and instructed the Japanese people and armed forces to endure the difficult consequences of defeat.
The recording was difficult for many listeners to understand. Hirohito spoke in formal Classical Japanese, and most Japanese civilians had never heard the emperor’s voice before. The speech also avoided a simple conversational statement such as “Japan surrenders,” instead using the language of an imperial rescript.
The broadcast followed days of political crisis, including disagreement among Japan’s leaders and an attempted military coup. It was not the same event as the formal signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, which took place aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945.