Which phrase did Emperor Hirohito use for the atomic bomb in Japan’s 1945 surrender broadcast?

Emperor Hirohito described the atomic bomb as “a new and most cruel bomb” in Japan’s 1945 surrender broadcast.

In the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War, Hirohito explained that the enemy had begun using a new bomb with incalculable destructive power. He warned that continuing the war could lead to the collapse and extinction of the Japanese nation and human civilization.

The speech did not identify Hiroshima or Nagasaki by name, nor did it use the modern phrase “atomic bomb” in the exact wording most often quoted in English translations. Its formal language and poor recording quality made it difficult for many listeners to understand.

Hirohito’s public explanation also differed from the shorter message delivered to Japanese military personnel two days later. That address emphasized the Soviet Union’s entry into the war as another reason continued resistance had become impossible. The surrender resulted from several converging military and political pressures.