The Japanese surrender ceremony officially concluded at 9:25 a.m. Tokyo time on September 2, 1945.
The proceedings began shortly after 9 a.m. aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Japanese representatives signed first, followed by General Douglas MacArthur and delegates representing nine Allied nations. Once the signatures were complete, MacArthur delivered concluding remarks and closed the ceremony.
The ceremony itself lasted about 23 minutes. The surrender instrument therefore took effect during the morning rather than at midnight or at the moment Japan’s acceptance was first broadcast in August.
Time-zone differences contributed to different Victory over Japan observances. In the United States, news of the surrender was celebrated on August 14, while August 15 was observed in Japan and many Commonwealth countries. The 9:25 a.m. time refers specifically to the end of the formal Tokyo Bay ceremony.