Emperor Hirohito’s radio broadcast announcing Japan’s surrender was called Gyokuon-hōsō.
The Japanese term means “Jewel Voice Broadcast,” a respectful description of the emperor’s recorded address. Hirohito recorded the speech on August 14, 1945, and it was broadcast by Japan’s national broadcaster at noon on August 15. It was the first time most Japanese people had heard the emperor’s voice.
The address announced acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, although it used formal and indirect language rather than the straightforward phrase “Japan surrenders.” Many listeners found the recording difficult to understand because of the emperor’s courtly style and the limitations of wartime radio reception.
The broadcast followed intense political conflict inside Japan, including an attempted coup by military officers who wanted to prevent surrender. The recording survived that crisis and reached the public, making it one of the defining moments of Japan’s transition from wartime rule to occupation.