Emperor Hirohito recorded the surrender announcement broadcast to the Japanese public on August 15, 1945.
The recording was made after Hirohito intervened in a divided leadership council and ordered acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. It was broadcast at noon Japan Standard Time, announcing acceptance of the Allied terms and the end of Japan's war.
Many Japanese listeners heard the emperor's voice for the first time through this broadcast. The announcement is often called the Gyokuon-hōsō, or “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” It announced the decision before the formal surrender document was signed aboard the USS Missouri on September 2.