Which document did Japan accept when Emperor Hirohito announced surrender in 1945?

Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration when Emperor Hirohito announced surrender in 1945.

The declaration was issued on July 26, 1945, by the United States, Britain, and China. It outlined the terms for ending the war with Japan and demanded the unconditional surrender of Japanese armed forces. The Soviet Union joined the war against Japan later and subsequently accepted the declaration's terms.

The document warned Japan of “prompt and utter destruction” if it refused. It also stated that Japanese sovereignty would be limited to the home islands and other territories determined by the Allies, while Japanese military forces would be disarmed.

Hirohito's August 15 broadcast announced that Japan had accepted the declaration. The formal surrender document signed on September 2 was different: it recorded Japan's capitulation and acceptance of the terms already set out by the Allies. Confusing these two documents can make the surrender process appear to have happened in a single step.