What was notable about Hirohito’s August 15, 1945 radio address to Japan?
Answer
It was his first broadcast to the public
Hirohito’s August 15, 1945 radio address was his first broadcast to the public.
The speech was the first known occasion on which ordinary Japanese people heard the voice of a Japanese emperor. Hirohito read the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War, announcing acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration.
Although the address was widely understood as Japan’s surrender announcement, it was not delivered live. Hirohito recorded it at the Imperial Palace on August 14, and NHK broadcast the recording the following day.
The message was difficult for many listeners to follow because it used formal classical Japanese and the recording was faint. Its historical importance came not only from the surrender decision but also from the unprecedented direct connection between the emperor and the public.