292.

The Surrender of Japan, September 2, 1945 (V-J Day)

A IMPERIAL RESCRIPT BY HIROHITO, EMPEROR OF JAPAN, PRIOR TO THE SIGNING OF THE SURRENDER INSTRUMENT

Tokyo, September 2, 1945.

Accepting the terms set forth in Declaration issued by the heads of the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, and China on July 26th, 1945, at Potsdam and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, We have commanded the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters to sign on Our behalf the Instrument of Surrender presented by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and to issue General Orders to the Military and Naval Forces in accordance with the direction of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. We command all Our people forthwith to cease hostilities, to lay down their arms and faithfully to carry out all the provisions of Instrument of Surrender and the General Orders issued by the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters hereunder.

B INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER

We, acting by command of and in behalf of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, hereby accept the provisions set forth in the declaration issued by the heads of the Governments of the United States, China and Great Britain on 26 July, 1945 at Potsdam, and subsequently adhered 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 noncombatant 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 representatives 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 at Tokyo Bay, Japan at 0904 on the Second day of September, 1945.

(Signed) MAMORU SHIGEMITSU, By Command and in behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese Government.

(Signed) 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.

(Signed) DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.

(Signed) C. W. NIMITZ, United States Representative.

(Signed) HSU YUNG-CHANG, Republic of China Representative.

(Signed) BRUCE FRASER, United Kingdom Representative.

(Signed) LIEUTENANT GENERAL K. DEREVYANKO, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Representative.

⁵²A. from Report of Government Section [of General Headquarters] Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Political Reorientation of Japan September 1945 to September 1948, 2 vols., Government Printing Office, Washington, n.d. [1950], vol. II, p. 416; B. from ibid., vol. II, p. 419.