?Article 8 of the?Potsdam Declaration, issued by the Allies in 1945, stated that Japanese sovereignty would be limited to Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, and minor islands as determined by the Allied Powers (US, UK, China, Soviet Union), essentially defining the post-war Japanese territory while awaiting the final peace treaty, which would clarify those "minor islands" and formalize territorial renunciation.?
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Key Points from the Potsdam Declaration (Article 8):
Territorial Limitation:?Defined Japan's sovereign territory to its four main islands and other smaller islands to be decided later.
Minor Islands:?The declaration left the specific "minor islands" undefined, to be determined by the Allies, a decision later formalized in the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty.
Context:?This declaration was a demand for Japan's unconditional surrender, outlining terms for disarmament, demilitarization, and democratization, ultimately leading to the end of World War II.?