What was the formal name of Emperor Hirohito's wartime surrender proclamation?

The formal name of Emperor Hirohito's wartime surrender proclamation was the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War.

Hirohito read the rescript in a recorded speech broadcast on August 15, 1945. It announced that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and ordered the Japanese people and armed forces to end the fighting.

The title is more precise than the commonly used phrase “surrender speech.” Hirohito's wording was indirect and emphasized the emperor's decision to accept the Allied declaration. Many listeners were unfamiliar with the highly formal language and needed radio commentary to understand its practical meaning.

The rescript was not the same document as the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. The rescript communicated the decision to the Japanese population; the instrument was signed by representatives of Japan and the Allied powers on September 2.