Hirohito was Japan’s emperor when the surrender announcement was broadcast on August 15, 1945.
Hirohito, later known formally as Emperor Shōwa, recorded the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War at the Imperial Palace. The recording was broadcast by NHK at noon Japan Standard Time, allowing the public to hear the emperor’s voice for the first time.
His message announced that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, although its formal and indirect language did not plainly use the everyday phrase “Japan has surrendered.” The recording’s poor audio quality and classical court language also made it difficult for many listeners to understand.
Hirohito remained emperor after the war, while Japan was occupied and reformed under Allied authority. He reigned until his death in 1989, making him the longest-reigning emperor in modern Japanese history.