We, acting by command of and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese
Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, hereby accept
the provisions in the declaration issued by the heads of the Governments
of the United States, China, and Great Britain 26 July 1945 at Potsdam,
and subsequently to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which four
powers are hereafter referred to as the Allied Powers.
We hereby proclaim the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of
the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and of all Japanese Armed Forces
and all Armed Forces under Japanese control wherever situated.
We hereby command all Japanese forces wherever situated and the Japanese
people to cease hostilities forthwith, to preserve and save from damage
all ships, aircraft, and military and civil property, and to comply with
all requirements which may be imposed by the Supreme Commander for the
Allied Powers or by agencies of the Japanese Government at his direction.
We hereby command the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters to issue at
once orders to the commanders of all Japanese forces and all forces under
Japanese control wherever situated to surrender unconditionally themselves
and all forces under their control.
We hereby command all civil, military, and naval officials to obey and
enforce all proclamations, orders, and directives deemed by the Supreme
Commander for the Allied Powers to be proper to effectuate this surrender
and issued by him or under his authority; and we direct all such officials
to remain at their posts and to continue to perform their non-combatant
duties unless specifically relieved by him or under his authority.
We hereby undertake for the Emperor, the Japanese Government, and their
successors to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration in good
faith, and to issue whatever orders and take whatever action may be required
by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers or by any other designated
representative of the Allied Powers for the purpose of giving effect to
that declaration.
We hereby command the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial
General Headquarters at once to liberate all Allied Prisoners of War and
civilian internees now under Japanese control and to provide for their
protection, care, maintenance, and immediate transportation to places as
directed.
The authority of the Emperor and the Japanese Government to rule the State
shall be subject to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, who will
take such steps as he deems proper to effectuate these terms of surrender".
Signed of TOKYO BAY, JAPAN of 09.04 on the SECOND day of SEPTEMBER, 1945
Mamoru Shigemitsu By Command and in behalf of the Emperor of Japan and
the Japanese Government
Yoshijiro Umezu By Command and in behalf of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters
Accepted at TOKYO BAY, JAPAN at 0908 on the SECOND day of SEPTEMBER, 1945, for the United States, Republic of China, United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and in the interests of the other United Nations at war with Japan.
Douglas MacArthur
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers
C.W. Nimitz
United States Representative
Hsu Yung-Ch'ang
Republic of China Representative
Bruce Fraser
United Kingdom Representative
Kuzma Derevyanko
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Representative
Thomas Blamey
Commonwealth of Australia Representative
L. Moore Cosgrave
Dominion of Canada Representative
Jacques Leclerc
Provisional Government of the French Republic Representative
C.E.L. Helfrich
Kingdom of the Netherlands Representative
Leonard M. Isitt
Dominion of New Zealand Representative