Which 1945 declaration set the surrender terms that Japan accepted before V-J Day?

The Potsdam Declaration set the surrender terms that Japan accepted before V-J Day. The United States, United Kingdom, and China issued the declaration on 26 July 1945 during the Potsdam Conference period.

The document demanded Japan's unconditional surrender and warned of prompt and utter destruction if it refused. It also stated that Japanese sovereignty would be limited to the home islands and other territories specified by the Allies, while calling for the elimination of militarism and the establishment of democratic principles.

Japan initially did not accept the declaration. After the atomic bombings and the Soviet entry into the war against Japan, the Japanese government agreed to accept its terms, with a condition concerning the status of the Emperor. The Allied response preserved the imperial institution but placed it under the authority of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.