Kantarō Suzuki was Japan’s prime minister when the country accepted the Potsdam Declaration in August 1945.
Suzuki served as prime minister from 7 April to 17 August 1945, leading Japan during the final months of World War II. His cabinet faced the decision of whether to continue fighting after the atomic bombings, the Soviet declaration of war, and the growing likelihood of an Allied invasion.
The Japanese government accepted the Potsdam Declaration in August, subject to its position concerning the emperor. Emperor Hirohito then backed surrender, and the decision was announced to the Japanese public through his recorded radio address broadcast on 15 August.
Suzuki resigned shortly afterward, on 17 August. He was succeeded by Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, who became prime minister during the opening days of the Allied occupation. Hideki Tojo was an earlier wartime prime minister, while Fumimaro Konoe served before Suzuki and later held another senior political role. These overlapping wartime offices are why naming the exact date is important.