To mark the anniversary of the end of the war on August 15, the National Archives of Japan, located near Palaceside Building, is holding a special exhibition displaying the original "Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War," in which Emperor Showa announced the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. Admission is free.
At noon on August 15, 1945, the Jewel Voice Broadcast (Gyokuon-hoso) was aired on the radio to inform the nation of the war's end. The broadcast used a phonograph record (Gyokuon-ban) of Emperor Showa reading the "Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War," which had been drafted the previous day, August 14.
The special exhibition runs until the 20th of this month, with the displayed section changing over time. Currently on display is the portion bearing Emperor Showa's signature (Gyomei) and seal (Gyoji), where visitors can view the famous passage widely known from the broadcast: "...enduring the unendurable and suffering what is insufferable... to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come."