Which Japanese emperor announced his country’s surrender by radio on August 15, 1945?

Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender by radio on August 15, 1945.

His recorded address, broadcast at noon Japan Standard Time, told the Japanese people that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The speech did not use a simple direct phrase equivalent to “Japan surrenders,” which made it difficult for some listeners to understand.

The broadcast was historically unusual because it was probably the first time ordinary Japanese people had heard the emperor’s voice. Hirohito spoke in formal classical Japanese, and the recording’s sound quality was poor.

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