POTSDAM DECLARATION ACCEPTED

Southland Times, Issue 25748, 11 August 1945, Page 5

POTSDAM DECLARATION ACCEPTED

DECISION COMMUNICATED TO SWISS AND SWEDISH GOVERNMENTS

TOKYO INCLUDES PROVISO TO SAFEGUARD RIGHTS OF EMPEROR

(Rec. 1.15 a.m.) LONDON, August 11. The Japanese Government is ready to accept the terms of the Potsdam ultimatum. Tokyo radio, reporting this dramatic news, said that the Allied terms would be accepted with the understanding that the prerogatives of the Emperor Hirohito would not be prejudiced. The Domei News Agency said that a message had been addressed to- the Swedish and Swiss Governments by .the ' Japanese Government for transmission to Britain, America, China and Russia. No information has been received by the British Government about the Japanese offer, but it is pointed out that the Japanese offer will take some time to reach official Government quarters in Britain. Japan was called on to cease resistance or see her homeland utterly destroyed in the Potsdam declaration, issued jointly by Mr Churchill, President Truman and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. The proclamation stated that the time had come for Japan to decide whether she would continue to be controlled by those self-willed militaristic advisers whose calculations had brought the empire of Japan to the threshold of annihilation or whether she would follow the path of reason. The ultimatum stated: “Points in Japanese territory to be designated by the Allies shall be occupied. “The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine. “The Japanese military forces, after being completely disarmed, shall be permitted to return to their homes with the opportunity to lead peaceful and productive lives. “The Japanese Government shall remove all obstacles to the revival and strengthening of democratic tendencies among the Japanese peoples. “The Japanese shall be permitted to maintain such industries as will sustain her economy and permit the exaction of just reparations in kind, but not those industries which would enable her to re-arm. “We call upon the Government of Japan to proclaim the unconditional surrender of all the Japanese armed forces and provide a proper assurance of their good faith in such an action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.” “Those are our terms, and we shall not deviate from them,” concluded the proclamation. Soon after the proclamation was transmitted to Japan, Tokyo radio stated that it would be ignored by the Japanese.