Surrender Rescript of Emperor Hirohito

2 September 1945

On the order of General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Emperor Hirohito issued the following Proclamation prior to the signing of the Instrument of Surrender.

PROCLAMATION    

      Accepting the terms set forth in the 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 General Headquarters hereunder.

    Article by article, here is what Japan agreed to do under the terms of the surrender:

   First, adopt all provisions of the Potsdam Declaration.
   Second, surrender unconditionally all armed forces.
   Third, cease hostilities forthwith and preserve and save from damage all ships, aircraft and military and civil property.
   Fourth, command Imperial General Headquarters to issue orders to all field commanders everywhere to surrender their forces unconditionally.
   Fifth, see that all civil, military, and naval officials obey and enforce all orders of the Supreme Allied Commander.
   Sixth, responsible Japanese controlled military and civil authorities will hold intact and in good condition, pending further instructions from the Supreme Commander for Allied Powers, the following:
   A - All arms, ammunitions, military equipment, stores, and supplies and other implements of war of all kinds and all other war material (except as specifically prescribed in Condition 4 of this order).
   B - All land, water, and air transportation and communication facilities and equipment.
   C - All military installations and establishments, including airfields, seaplane bases, anti-aircraft defences, ports and naval bases, storage depots, permanent and temporary land and coast fortifications, fortresses and other fortified areas, together with plans and drawings of all such fortifications, installations and establishments.
   D - All factories, shops, research institutions, laboratories, testing stations, technical data, patterns, plans, drawings, and inventions designed or intended to produce or to facilitate production or use of all implements of war and other material and property used by or intended for use by any military or part military organization in connection with its operations.
   Seventh, Japanese Imperial General Headquarters shall furnish to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (within time limit of receipt of this order) a complete list of all items specified in Paragraph B and D of Sixth above indicating numbers, types and locations of each.
  Eighth, manufacture and distribution of all arms, ammunition and implements of war will cease forthwith.
   Ninth, with respect to United Nations prisoners of war and civilian internees in the hands of the Japanese or Japanese controlled authorities:
   A - The safety and well being of all United Nations prisoners of war and civilian internees will be scrupulously preserved to include administrative and supply service essential to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, and medical care until such responsibility is undertaken by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
   B - Each camp or other place of detention of United Nations prisoners of war and civilian internees, together with its equipment, records, arms, and ammunition will be delivered immediately to the command of the senior officer designated as the representative of prisoners of war and civilian internees.
   C – As directed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, prisoners of war and civilian internees will be transported to places of safety where they can be accepted by Allied authorities.
   D - Japanese Imperial General Headquarters will furnish to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (within time limit of the receipt of this order) complete lists of all United Nations prisoners of war and civilian internees, indicating their location.
   Tenth, all Japanese and Japanese-controlled military and civil authorities shall aid and assist the occupation of Japanese-controlled areas by forces of the Allied Powers.
   Eleventh, Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and appropriate Japanese officials shall be prepared, on instructions from Allied occupation commanders, to collect and deliver all arms in the possession of the Japanese civilian population.
   Twelfth, this and all subsequent instructions issued by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Forces or other Allied military authorities will be scrupulously and promptly obeyed by Japanese and Japanese-controlled military and civil officials and private persons.

     Any delay or failure to comply with the provisions of this or subsequent orders and any action which the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers determines to be detrimental to the Allied Powers will incur drastic and summary punishment at the hands of the Allied military authorities and the Japanese Government. 

     This second day of the ninth month of the twentieth year of SHOWA.

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