What was the name of Japan’s planned 1945 surrender broadcast, known in Japanese as Gyokuon-hōsō?

Japan’s planned 1945 surrender broadcast was known in English as the Jewel Voice Broadcast.

The Gyokuon-hōsō was Emperor Hirohito’s recorded announcement accepting the Allied terms. It was transmitted at noon on August 15, 1945, and told the Japanese people that Japan would end the war. The Japanese term literally refers to the emperor’s voice in highly respectful language.

The recording was made at the Imperial Palace on August 14. Palace officials concealed the record from officers who attempted a late-night coup to prevent the surrender announcement from being broadcast. The plot failed, and the recording reached the national radio network.

Many listeners struggled to understand the formal language and the poor audio quality. The broadcast did not use a simple modern phrase such as “surrender,” but its message was unmistakable in context.