What 1945 Allied proclamation set the terms Japan was asked to accept before surrendering?

The Potsdam Declaration set the terms Japan was asked to accept before surrendering in 1945.

The United States, United Kingdom, and China issued the declaration on July 26, 1945, during the Potsdam Conference. It called for the surrender of Japan’s armed forces and warned that refusal would bring “prompt and utter destruction.”

The declaration demanded the elimination of militarism, the occupation of designated Japanese territory, disarmament, and the fulfillment of the earlier Cairo Declaration’s territorial terms. It also stated that Japanese sovereignty would be limited to the home islands and other locations determined by the Allies.

Japan initially did not accept the proclamation publicly. After the atomic bombings and the Soviet entry into the war, Japanese leaders moved toward acceptance. Japan’s August 15 announcement and September 2 signing both rested on accepting the Potsdam terms, although the Emperor’s position remained a major concern during the negotiations.