Which Japanese emperor recorded the surrender announcement broadcast to Japan in August 1945?

Emperor Hirohito recorded the surrender announcement broadcast to Japan in August 1945.

Hirohito recorded the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War on August 14, 1945. It was broadcast to the Japanese public at noon on August 15. The address explained that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and instructed the nation to end the fighting.

The broadcast was historically remarkable because it was the first time the Japanese emperor’s voice had been heard publicly by most of his subjects. The recording used formal classical Japanese, and many listeners found its wording difficult to understand immediately.

Hirohito did not use a simple conversational phrase such as “Japan surrenders.” Instead, he referred to accepting the Allied declaration and enduring the unendurable. This indirect style reflected the language of the imperial court and the political sensitivity of the decision.

Hirohito remained emperor during the Allied occupation. He later continued as a constitutional monarch until his death in 1989, when he was succeeded by his son, Akihito.