The Potsdam Declaration was issued on July 26, 1945, as the Allied statement demanding Japan's surrender.
The declaration was released by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China during the Potsdam Conference. It called for the unconditional surrender of Japanese armed forces and warned that refusal would bring “prompt and utter destruction.”
Its terms proposed limiting Japanese sovereignty to the home islands and requiring disarmament, democratic reforms, and the prosecution of war criminals. The declaration did not explicitly state what would happen to Emperor Hirohito, an omission that contributed to uncertainty among Japanese leaders.
Japan did not immediately accept the declaration. After the atomic bombings, the Soviet entry into the war against Japan, and political debate in Tokyo, the Japanese government accepted its terms in August. Hirohito's radio address then announced that decision to the public.