It has sometimes been argued Japan would have surrendered if simply guaranteed the Emperor would be allowed to continue as formal head of state . However , Japanese diplomatic messages regarding a possible Soviet mediation — intercepted through Magic , and made available to Allied leaders — have been interpreted by some historians to mean , " the dominant militarists insisted on preservation of the old militaristic order in Japan , the one in which they ruled . " On 18 and 20 July 1945 , Ambassador Sato cabled to Foreign Minister Togo , strongly advocating that Japan accept an unconditional surrender provided that the U.S. preserved the imperial house ( keeping the emperor ) . On 21 July , in response , Togo rejected the advice , saying that Japan would not accept an unconditional surrender under any circumstance . Togo then said that , " Although it is apparent that there will be more casualties on both sides in case the war is prolonged , we will stand as united against the enemy if the enemy forcibly demands our unconditional surrender . " They also faced potential death sentences in trials for Japanese war crimes if they surrendered . This was also what occurred in the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and other tribunals
Japanese war crimes
Japanese war crimes
Debate over the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki