Japan’s six-member Supreme Council for the Direction of the War was commonly called the Big Six.
The council was Japan’s highest wartime decision-making group during the final months of World War II. It consisted of the prime minister, foreign minister, army minister, navy minister, and the chiefs of the Army and Navy General Staffs. Because military and civilian leaders shared power, reaching a surrender decision was exceptionally difficult.
The Emperor attended some discussions and had constitutional authority, but the Big Six handled the central debates over continuing the war, negotiating with the Soviet Union, and responding to Allied demands. Decisions often required broad agreement, allowing internal divisions to delay action.
The council split over whether Japan should accept the Potsdam Declaration. Emperor Hirohito eventually intervened in favor of surrender, helping break the deadlock. Japan’s government then notified the Allies of its intention to surrender in August 1945.
The Big Six should not be confused with the later Allied occupation authorities or with the Axis powers. It was a Japanese wartime governing body, not an international alliance. Its structure helps explain why Japan’s surrender came only after intense internal conflict despite the worsening military situation.