Shun'ichi Kase

Shun'ichi Kase was a secretary to Japanese Foreign Minister Yōsuke Matsuoka in 1941.

On July 27, 1945, he observed that unconditional surrender applied only to the military and not to the government or the people, and he pleaded that it should be understood that the careful language of Potsdam appeared "to have occasioned a great deal of thought" on the part of the signatory governments—"they seem to have taken pains to save face for us on various points.

[4] That position still fell short of the U.S. "unconditional surrender" demand, retaining the sticking point that had held up the war's conclusion for months.

Strong voices within the administration, including Secretary of State James Byrnes, counseled fighting on.

Say that the Emperor and the Japanese government will rule subject to the orders of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.