Which Allied declaration issued on 26 July 1945 stated the terms for Japan’s surrender?

The Potsdam Declaration issued on 26 July 1945 stated the terms for Japan’s surrender.

The United States, United Kingdom, and China released the declaration during the Potsdam Conference. It called for the unconditional surrender of Japan’s armed forces and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan refused. The Soviet Union was not yet a signatory when the declaration was issued.

The document also outlined postwar conditions, including the occupation of Japanese territory, disarmament, punishment of war criminals, and the removal of militarist influence. It did not explicitly explain the future status of Emperor Hirohito, an omission that complicated Japan’s response.

Japan eventually accepted the declaration’s terms in August 1945. The acceptance was publicly announced by Hirohito on 15 August, and the legal surrender was recorded in the Japanese Instrument of Surrender signed in Tokyo Bay on 2 September.