Which 1945 declaration set the surrender terms that Japan formally accepted?

The Potsdam Declaration set the surrender terms that Japan formally accepted in 1945.

The United States, United Kingdom, and China issued the declaration on 26 July 1945 during the Potsdam Conference. It called for Japan’s unconditional surrender and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan refused.

The declaration also described the Allies’ intended postwar policy, including the disarmament of Japan and the removal of militarism. The Soviet Union joined the declaration after entering the war against Japan in August, although it was not among the original issuing powers.

Japan’s government eventually accepted the declaration’s terms in August. The acceptance led to the surrender announcement and, later, the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri. The Potsdam Declaration was therefore the terms document, not the final surrender document itself.