Emperor Hirohito’s 15 August 1945 surrender broadcast is known as Gyokuon-hōsō.
The Japanese term is commonly translated as “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” It refers to the emperor’s recorded reading of the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War, which was transmitted to the Japanese public at noon on 15 August.
The broadcast did not use a simple modern announcement such as “Japan surrenders.” Instead, it described Japan’s acceptance of the Allied terms in highly formal language. Many listeners struggled to understand the message because of both the classical wording and the unfamiliar sound of the emperor’s recorded voice.
Gyokuon-hōsō is often confused with the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, but they were different. The broadcast announced the decision, while the instrument was the written agreement signed aboard USS Missouri on 2 September 1945. The term is also distinct from the Potsdam Declaration, the Allied demand that Japan accept surrender.