World War II was officially over at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time after Japan’s surrender ceremony.
The ceremony aboard USS Missouri began shortly after 9 a.m. in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Japan’s Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed first, followed by General Yoshijirō Umezu. General Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the Allied powers then signed the instrument.
The surrender instrument was completed during the ceremony, and the war was officially declared over at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time. This time is different from the opening of the proceedings and from the individual signing times recorded for the Japanese and Allied delegates.
The moment also differs from V-J Day observances in August. The August announcements communicated Japan’s decision to surrender, while September 2 marked the formal completion of the written capitulation. The distinction is especially important because some countries commemorate the end of the Pacific War on August 15, others on August 14, and others on September 2.