What was the recorded 1945 radio address by Hirohito commonly called?

Hirohito's recorded 1945 radio address was commonly called Gyokuon-hōsō.

The Japanese term is often translated as “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” It refers to the emperor's announcement, transmitted by radio on August 15, 1945, that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration and would end the war.

The speech was not delivered live. NHK technicians recorded Hirohito reading the rescript at the Imperial Palace on August 14, and the recording was broadcast the following day. Two recordings were made because the first attempt was considered unsatisfactory.

The address used formal court language rather than everyday Japanese. Many listeners struggled to understand it, especially because they had never heard the emperor speak publicly. The broadcast's historical importance comes both from its surrender message and from breaking the long-standing distance between the emperor and the general population.