Japan was already so clearly beaten, its only in the fantasy-land where some army officers still held on to the 'we can continue to fight' but that would change

Japan was already so clearly beaten, its only in the fantasy-land where some army officers still held on to the 'we can continue to fight' but that would change if the Soviet Union joined the war. However, many of those people then didn't actually follow threw with this, as even after Soviet Union joined some in the war council still didn't want to surrender. What actually changed the situation in the war council was Hirohito coming out with a clear message, and he did not want to see Japan wiped out. Even then, some in the war council were still against surrender but they followed orders from the Emperor. The people who believe nuclear weapons had nothing to do with the surrender always underestimate or ignore the opinion of the Emperor and simply put it as an 'excuse' rather then his actual opinion. His decision to come out with a clear opinion, against tradition, was not because the Soviets rolled up some Japanese armies in a far away land but rather what was happening to his subjects. That makes way more sense. If you want to call it an 'excuse' then that fine also, but even so, a war its over then the other side admits its over. The war had been military decided for years, if it took nukes to give them an 'excuse' and allowed the emperor to make a statement then that is still the effect of that weapon.