Which Japanese emperor recorded the 1945 surrender announcement broadcast to the public?

Emperor Hirohito recorded the 1945 surrender announcement broadcast to the public.

Hirohito recorded the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War at the Imperial Palace on 14 August 1945. The recording was broadcast by Japan’s national broadcaster, NHK, at noon on 15 August.

The address announced Japan’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and referred to the destructive power of the atomic bomb. Hirohito’s formal court language and the poor sound quality made the message difficult for many listeners to understand clearly.

The broadcast was historically unusual because it was the first known occasion on which an emperor of Japan spoke directly to the general population. The recording also became the target of an attempted military coup by officers who wanted to prevent the surrender announcement from being transmitted.