What document did Japan accept before formally surrendering in World War II?

Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration before formally surrendering in World War II.

Issued on July 26, 1945, the declaration set out Allied terms for Japan’s surrender. It was issued by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China during the Potsdam Conference. The document demanded the surrender of Japan’s armed forces and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan refused.

The declaration also described postwar goals, including the removal of Japanese militarism, the occupation of territory needed to achieve those goals, and the limitation of Japanese sovereignty to the home islands and other areas specified by the Allies. It stated that the Japanese people would not be enslaved or destroyed as a nation.

Japan’s government initially did not accept the declaration. After the atomic bombings, the Soviet declaration of war, and intense internal debate, Emperor Hirohito supported acceptance. The Japanese Instrument of Surrender later explicitly referred to the Potsdam Declaration.