What Allied statement did Japan accept in August 1945 before signing its formal surrender?

Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration before signing its formal surrender in August 1945.

Issued on July 26, 1945, the declaration called for the unconditional surrender of Japan’s armed forces. It warned that refusal would bring “prompt and utter destruction” and outlined the political and territorial conditions expected after the war.

The statement was issued by United States President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek. The Soviet Union was not yet a signatory because it had not entered the war against Japan when the declaration was released.

The declaration required Japan to surrender its military, accept occupation, and limit its sovereignty mainly to the four principal islands and other islands designated by the Allies. It also promised that Japan would not be destroyed as a nation and could eventually participate in peaceful international trade.