What was the name of the recorded speech in which Hirohito announced Japan’s acceptance of Allied terms?

The recorded speech in which Hirohito announced Japan’s acceptance of Allied terms is known as the Jewel Voice Broadcast.

Hirohito’s address was broadcast at noon Japan Standard Time on August 15, 1945. It announced that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, although the emperor’s formal, classical language did not use a simple modern sentence saying “Japan surrenders.” Many listeners found the message difficult to understand because of the courtly language and poor audio quality.

The speech was recorded at the Imperial Palace late on August 14. NHK technicians made two recordings, and the official version was transmitted the next day. It was the first known occasion on which ordinary Japanese people heard the emperor’s voice. A failed military coup attempt sought to prevent the recording from being broadcast.

The Japanese term gyokuon is commonly translated as “Jewel Voice.” The broadcast should not be confused with the September 2 signing ceremony, which was the formal act of surrender aboard USS Missouri.