Which 1945 declaration set out the Allied terms that Japan was urged to accept before surrendering?

The Potsdam Declaration set out the Allied terms that Japan was urged to accept before surrendering in 1945.

Issued on July 26, 1945, the declaration was made by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China during the Potsdam Conference. It demanded the unconditional surrender of Japanese armed forces and warned Japan of “prompt and utter destruction” if it rejected the terms.

The declaration also stated that Japanese sovereignty would be limited to the home islands and other islands determined by the Allies. It called for the removal of militarist influence, disarmament, punishment of war criminals, and the establishment of democratic tendencies. It did not directly explain what would happen to Emperor Hirohito, an omission that complicated Japanese deliberations.

Japan eventually accepted the declaration’s terms in August 1945. The acceptance led to Hirohito’s radio announcement and, later, the formal surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay. The declaration therefore connected Allied wartime demands with the legal surrender documents signed in September.