Which Japanese emperor gave the 15 August 1945 radio broadcast announcing Japan’s surrender?

Emperor Hirohito gave the 15 August 1945 radio broadcast announcing Japan’s surrender.

The broadcast is known as the Gyokuon-hōsō, often translated as the Jewel Voice Broadcast. Hirohito recorded the speech at the Imperial Palace, and it was transmitted by Japan’s national broadcaster, NHK, at noon on 15 August.

It was historically significant because it was the first known time Japan’s emperor had spoken directly to the general population by radio. Hirohito used formal Classical Japanese, and the speech did not plainly use the word “surrender.” Instead, it stated that Japan had accepted the terms of the Allied declaration.

The recording followed the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Soviet declaration of war, and an internal struggle among Japanese leaders. A failed coup attempt by military officers also occurred before the broadcast reached the public.