Which declaration’s terms did Japan accept in August 1945 before the formal surrender ceremony?

Japan accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration before the formal surrender ceremony.

The declaration was issued on July 26, 1945, by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. It demanded Japan’s unconditional surrender and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan refused. The Soviet Union was not initially a signatory because it was still neutral in the war against Japan, although it later joined the declaration after entering the conflict.

Japan initially rejected the declaration publicly, using the term mokusatsu, which can mean ignoring or withholding comment. After the atomic bombings, the Soviet declaration of war, and intense debate within Japan’s leadership, the government accepted the declaration’s terms in August.

Hirohito referred to the “joint declaration” in his August 15 radio address. The formal Instrument of Surrender signed on September 2 then converted that acceptance into a signed legal and military document. The declaration also stated that Japan would be occupied, its armed forces disarmed, and its sovereignty limited to the home islands and other territories the Allies specified.