According to the USS Missouri account, Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony lasted 23 minutes.
The proceedings began at about 9:02 a.m. on September 2, 1945, and concluded shortly after 9:25. The ceremony was deliberately brief and carefully organized, with Japanese and Allied representatives positioned on Missouri’s deck before a large international audience of military personnel and journalists.
Douglas MacArthur opened the event, after which Japanese representatives signed the surrender instrument. MacArthur then signed for the Allied powers, followed by representatives of the United States and other Allied nations. The ceremony ended with closing remarks rather than a long series of speeches.
The 23-minute duration refers to the formal onboard proceedings, not to the entire process of Japan’s surrender. Negotiations, the emperor’s announcement, occupation preparations, and regional surrender ceremonies occurred before or after the Missouri event.