What was Emperor Hirohito’s World War II surrender broadcast known as?
Answer
Gyokuon-hōsō
Emperor Hirohito’s World War II surrender broadcast was known as Gyokuon-hōsō.
The term is commonly translated as “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” It refers to the radio address recorded by Hirohito on August 14, 1945, and broadcast to the Japanese public at noon on August 15.
Many listeners had never heard the emperor’s voice before. The broadcast used formal court language, and some listeners found its meaning difficult to understand immediately. Hirohito announced that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and urged the nation to endure the unbearable.
The broadcast was not the same as the formal surrender ceremony. The legal signing occurred aboard USS Missouri on September 2. Gyokuon-hōsō instead communicated the decision to end the war to Japan’s population.