Japan’s formal World War II surrender ceremony concluded at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time aboard USS Missouri.
The September 2, 1945, ceremony began shortly after 9 a.m. in Tokyo Bay. The Japanese representatives signed first, followed by Douglas MacArthur and the representatives of the Allied countries.
The 9:25 time marks the end of the signing proceedings and is commonly used to identify when the war was officially over. It should not be confused with noon on August 15, when Emperor Hirohito’s radio broadcast announced Japan’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration.
The precise time also illustrates the difference between Japan’s public surrender announcement and the formal legal ceremony. The announcement came weeks earlier, while the instrument was signed and completed on September 2.