What was the 15 August 1945 Japanese surrender broadcast commonly called?

The 15 August 1945 Japanese surrender broadcast is commonly called the Jewel Voice Broadcast.

The name refers to the emperor’s “jewel voice,” a traditional expression for the sovereign’s speech. In Japanese, the broadcast is known as Gyokuon-hōsō. Emperor Hirohito’s recorded message announced that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration and would cease fighting.

The broadcast was transmitted by NHK at noon after the recording survived an attempted military coup. Officers searching the Imperial Palace failed to find the recordings, which had been hidden and then transported safely to the broadcasting station.

The title can be confused with the later formal surrender ceremony. The Jewel Voice Broadcast was the public announcement of Japan’s decision; it was not the signing of the surrender document aboard USS Missouri on 2 September.