Which 1945 Allied proclamation did Japan accept when announcing its decision to surrender?

Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration when it announced its decision to surrender 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 outlined broad conditions for ending the war, including the elimination of Japanese militarism and the occupation of designated Japanese territory.

After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union’s entry into the war against Japan, the Japanese government moved toward acceptance. On August 10, Japan communicated its willingness to accept the declaration, provided the Emperor’s status could be preserved. The Allies responded that the Emperor would be subject to the authority of the Supreme Commander.

The Potsdam Declaration is sometimes confused with the Cairo Declaration, issued in 1943. Cairo described Allied aims concerning territories taken by Japan, while Potsdam directly set out terms for Japan’s surrender. The formal surrender document was signed later, aboard USS Missouri.