On 9 May 1945 ( Moscow time ) , Germany surrendered , meaning that if the Soviets were to honour the Yalta agreement , they would need to enter war with Japan by 9 August 1945 . The situation continued to deteriorate for the Japanese , and they were now the only Axis power left in the war . They were keen to remain at peace with the Soviets and extend the Neutrality Pact , and they were also keen to achieve an end to the war . Since Yalta they had repeatedly approached , or tried to approach , the Soviets in order to extend the Neutrality Pact , and to enlist the Soviets in negotiating peace with the Allies . The Soviets did nothing to discourage these Japanese hopes , and drew the process out as long as possible ( whilst continuing to prepare their invasion forces . ) One of the roles of the Cabinet of Admiral Baron Suzuki , which took office in April 1945 , was to try to secure any peace terms short of unconditional surrender . In late June , they approached the Soviets ( the Neutrality Pact was still in place ) , inviting them to negotiate peace with the Allies in support of Japan , providing them with specific proposals and in return they offered the Soviets very attractive territorial concessions . Stalin expressed interest , and the Japanese awaited the Soviet response . The Soviets continued to avoid providing a response . The Potsdam Conference was held from 16 July to 2 August 1945 . On 24 July the Soviet Union recalled all embassy staff and families from Japan . On 26 July the conference produced the Potsdam Declaration whereby Churchill , Harry S. Truman and Chiang Kai-shek ( the Soviet Union was not officially at war with Japan ) demanded the unconditional surrender of Japan . The Japanese continued to wait for the Soviet response , and avoided responding to the declaration
Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
Soviet–Japanese War