What Allied statement did Japan agree to accept before its 1945 surrender?

Japan agreed to accept the Potsdam Declaration before its 1945 surrender.

The declaration was issued on July 26, 1945, by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. It demanded Japan’s unconditional surrender and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan continued the war. The Soviet Union joined the declaration after declaring war on Japan in August.

Japan’s acceptance was announced in Emperor Hirohito’s radio address on August 15, 1945. The formal surrender document was then signed aboard USS Missouri on September 2, completing the legal and military surrender process.

The Potsdam Declaration is sometimes confused with the Cairo Declaration of 1943. Cairo described Allied goals concerning territories taken by Japan, while Potsdam directly set out the terms and warning associated with Japan’s surrender. The declaration also stated that Japanese sovereignty would be limited to the home islands and other territories determined by the Allies.