Emperor Hirohito’s radio broadcast announcing Japan’s World War II surrender was the Gyokuon-hōsō. The Japanese term is commonly translated as “Jewel Voice Broadcast,” referring to the emperor’s voice being heard by the public.
Hirohito’s recorded message was broadcast by NHK at noon on August 15, 1945. It announced that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, although the emperor did not use the ordinary Japanese word for “surrender” directly. The formal language and poor audio quality made the message difficult for many listeners to understand.
The broadcast was recorded at the Imperial Palace on August 14, after Japan’s leadership decided to accept the Allied terms. Army officers opposed to surrender tried to prevent the recording from being broadcast during an attempted coup, but the recordings were hidden and safely delivered to NHK. The broadcast is also notable as the first time most Japanese civilians had heard their emperor’s voice.