NHK broadcast Emperor Hirohito’s surrender recording nationwide on 15 August 1945.
NHK was then known as the Japan Broadcasting Corporation and served as Japan’s national broadcaster. Its technicians recorded the emperor reading the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War at the Imperial Palace on the night of 14 August. The official recording was replayed over NHK stations at noon the next day.
The recording was not a live speech. Hirohito made two recordings because technicians considered the first attempt too quiet. The second version became the official broadcast, while the first was retained as a backup. The discs had to be protected during an attempted military coup by officers who wanted to prevent the announcement from reaching the public.
Listeners heard the emperor’s voice for the first time, but many struggled to understand the message. Hirohito spoke in formal court language, and the recording quality was limited. The broadcast announced acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration; Japan’s legal surrender followed with the signing ceremony aboard USS Missouri on 2 September.