What was the 1945 Allied declaration whose terms Japan agreed to accept before surrendering?

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

Issued on July 26, 1945, the declaration demanded Japan’s unconditional surrender and outlined broad Allied objectives for the country’s postwar future. It was issued by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China during the Potsdam Conference.

The declaration warned that refusing the terms would bring “prompt and utter destruction.” Japan initially did not accept it immediately. After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet declaration of war, the Japanese government agreed to the terms, with a condition concerning the emperor’s status.

The declaration was not itself the surrender document. Japan’s acceptance led to the August 15 announcement, while the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard USS Missouri on September 2.