At what time did Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony officially conclude?

Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony officially concluded at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time.

The ceremony began at 9:02 a.m. aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The Japanese representatives signed first, followed by General Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

MacArthur closed the proceedings after the final Allied signature. The complete ceremony lasted about 23 minutes, making the 9:25 end time consistent with the recorded start. The Japanese Instrument of Surrender formally took effect at that point on September 2, 1945.

This time is distinct from several other important moments. Hirohito’s surrender broadcast occurred in Japan on August 15, and the signing began at 9:02 a.m. The ceremony’s conclusion also did not mean every Japanese unit surrendered immediately; isolated forces in Asia and the Pacific continued fighting or remained unaware for months or years.