Emperor Hirohito delivered the 15 August 1945 radio broadcast announcing Japan’s acceptance of the Allied surrender terms.
The speech is commonly known as the Gyokuon-hōsō, or “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” It was the first time most Japanese people had heard their emperor’s voice. The recording had been made at the Imperial Palace on the previous night and was played over NHK at noon.
Hirohito’s wording was highly formal Classical Japanese, so many listeners did not immediately understand that Japan had surrendered. He referred to the Allied “joint declaration,” meaning the Potsdam Declaration, and discussed the devastating effects of the atomic bomb. The broadcast followed Japan’s decision to accept the surrender terms after the atomic bombings and the Soviet Union’s entry into the war against Japan.