Japan’s government notified the Allies that it accepted the Potsdam Declaration on 10 August 1945, beginning the final surrender process.
The decision followed an Imperial Conference during the night of 9–10 August. Emperor Hirohito broke a deadlock among Japan’s leaders and supported accepting the Allied terms, provided that they did not prejudice the Emperor’s authority.
Early on 10 August, Japan’s Foreign Ministry sent telegrams through Swiss diplomatic channels to the United States, Britain, China, and the Soviet Union. This was not yet the public announcement of surrender. Emperor Hirohito recorded his surrender message on 14 August, and it was broadcast to the Japanese people on 15 August.
The date is often confused with 15 August, known in many countries as V-J Day, or with 2 September, when Japanese representatives formally signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The 10 August notification marked the crucial diplomatic step between Japan’s internal decision and the later public and formal ceremonies.