What was Japan’s August 15, 1945 radio announcement of surrender commonly called?

Japan’s August 15, 1945 radio announcement of surrender was commonly called the Jewel Voice Broadcast.

The broadcast was the imperial rescript known in Japanese as Gyokuon-hoso, a term often translated as “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” Emperor Hirohito announced that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. It aired at noon Japan Standard Time on August 15.

For many Japanese listeners, the program was historically significant because it was the first time they had heard the Emperor’s voice. The recording used formal court language, making it difficult for some listeners to understand immediately that Japan had surrendered.

The broadcast announced acceptance, but it was not the same as the formal surrender ceremony. That legal act occurred on September 2 aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The recording was made on August 14 and broadcast the following day after Japan’s leadership approved the surrender decision.