When was Japan’s surrender first announced to the Japanese public in 1945?

Japan’s surrender was first announced to the Japanese public on August 15, 1945.

Emperor Hirohito’s recorded address was broadcast at noon in Japan. He announced that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, although he used formal language and did not plainly say “surrender.” A follow-up explanation made the meaning clear to listeners.

Because of time-zone differences, the announcement occurred on August 14 in the United States and some other parts of the Americas. This is why V-J Day can appear on different dates in historical accounts. In Japan, August 15 is associated with the public announcement and is often called the day marking the end of the war.

The announcement came after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Soviet declaration of war, and intense debate within Japan’s leadership. The formal legal surrender followed on September 2 aboard USS Missouri.