Douglas MacArthur opened Japan’s surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri at 9:02 a.m. on September 2, 1945.
The ceremony took place in Tokyo Bay, where the American battleship served as the venue for the formal signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. MacArthur, serving as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, stepped before microphones and delivered opening remarks before the Japanese delegation signed.
The ceremony lasted about 23 minutes. Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the Japanese government at 9:04 a.m., followed by General Yoshijiro Umezu for Imperial General Headquarters. MacArthur signed on behalf of the Allied Powers at 9:08 a.m., and representatives of the Allied nations followed.
The 9:02 opening time is sometimes confused with 9:04, the time when the first Japanese signature was made, or 9:25, when the proceedings concluded. These were separate moments in the same ceremony.