What was the commonly used name for Hirohito's 1945 radio surrender announcement?
Answer
Jewel Voice Broadcast
Answer
Jewel Voice Broadcast
Hirohito's 1945 radio surrender announcement is commonly called the Jewel Voice Broadcast.
The Japanese name is Gyokuon-hōsō, a term referring to the emperor's voice. Hirohito's recorded message aired at noon on August 15, 1945, announcing that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration. The familiar English rendering, “Jewel Voice Broadcast,” became especially common in later historical writing.
The broadcast was not a live address. NHK technicians recorded Hirohito reading the rescript inside the Imperial Palace on the night of August 14. A second recording was selected as the official version after the first take was judged unsatisfactory.
The broadcast was also politically dangerous. Army officers attempted a coup to prevent the recording from being transmitted, but the effort failed. Because the speech used courtly language and poor audio equipment, many listeners did not immediately understand that it meant surrender.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026