What was Emperor Hirohito’s surrender broadcast called in Japanese history?

Emperor Hirohito’s surrender broadcast is called Gyokuon-hōsō in Japanese history.

Gyokuon-hōsō literally refers to the “Jewel Voice Broadcast,” a conventional English rendering of the Japanese term. Hirohito recorded the announcement on August 14, 1945, and it was broadcast to the Japanese public shortly after noon on August 15 Japan Standard Time.

The speech announced Japan’s acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration without using the plain conversational wording that many listeners might have expected. Hirohito also did not use the word “surrender” in the simplest modern sense; instead, he described the decision to accept the Allied proclamation and end the war.

The broadcast was historically significant because it was the first time most Japanese civilians had heard the Emperor’s voice. It did not itself constitute the formal signing of surrender. That legal ceremony occurred on September 2 aboard USS Missouri, which is why the two events have separate dates and names.