What was the recorded August 15, 1945 speech by Japan’s emperor commonly called?

The recorded August 15, 1945 speech by Japan’s emperor was commonly called the Jewel Voice Broadcast.

The Japanese name is Gyokuon-hōsō, often translated into English as “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” It was Emperor Hirohito’s reading of the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War. The recording was transmitted by NHK at noon Japan Standard Time and announced acceptance of the Allied terms.

The broadcast was historically unusual because it was the first time most Japanese civilians had heard their emperor’s voice. Hirohito spoke in highly formal Classical Japanese, and the recording’s poor sound quality made the message difficult for many listeners to understand. The speech also avoided stating the surrender in direct everyday language.

A military coup attempt sought to prevent the recording from being broadcast, but the recording was hidden and preserved. The speech became one of the defining public moments of Japan’s surrender, while the formal signing came seventeen days later.