At what time did Japan’s surrender ceremony officially conclude aboard USS Missouri?

Japan’s surrender ceremony officially concluded at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time aboard USS Missouri. The signing took place in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

The proceedings began shortly after 9:00 a.m. Japanese time. Mamoru Shigemitsu signed first for the Japanese government, followed by Yoshijirō Umezu for Imperial General Headquarters. Douglas MacArthur then signed for the Allied powers, followed by representatives of the United States and eight other Allied nations.

The conclusion time is distinct from the time of Japan’s surrender announcement. Emperor Hirohito’s recorded radio address was broadcast at noon on August 15, while the formal document was signed weeks later. The ceremony lasted about 23 minutes and marked the official end of World War II hostilities in the formal account commonly used for the surrender.