What was the official title of Emperor Hirohito’s 1945 surrender broadcast?

Emperor Hirohito’s 1945 surrender broadcast was titled the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War.

Hirohito recorded the rescript on August 14, 1945, and it was broadcast to Japan at noon on August 15. The message announced that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and would end the war.

The rescript avoided the plain phrase “surrender.” Instead, it used formal imperial language and referred to the enemy’s use of a “new and most cruel bomb.” The wording reflected the conventions of imperial announcements and was difficult for ordinary listeners to follow.

The rescript is also known by its Japanese title, Gyokuon-hōsō, commonly translated as “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” The recording became one of the most significant broadcasts in modern Japanese history.