What was the name of the Allied document whose terms Japan accepted before surrendering in 1945?

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Japan accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration before surrendering in 1945.

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 refused.

The declaration also stated that Japan's sovereignty would be limited to its four main islands and other territories designated by the Allies. It called for the disarmament of Japan's military and promised that the Japanese people would not be enslaved or destroyed.

After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet declaration of war on Japan, the Japanese government notified the Allies that it accepted the declaration's terms, subject to the emperor's status. The formal surrender followed on September 2.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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