How long did the Japanese Instrument of Surrender ceremony last in 1945?

The Japanese Instrument of Surrender ceremony lasted twenty-three minutes in 1945. It took place aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on the morning of September 2.

Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for Japan at about 9:04 a.m. General Yoshijirō Umezu followed for Imperial General Headquarters. General Douglas MacArthur then accepted the surrender for the Allied powers, followed by representatives of the United States and other Allied nations.

The ceremony was brief because the document had already been prepared and the surrender terms had been settled. Its purpose was to formalize Japan’s acceptance and establish the authority of the Allied supreme commander over the surrender process.

The event was broadcast internationally and became one of the most recognizable ceremonies of the twentieth century. Its short duration is sometimes overlooked because the surrounding negotiations, military movements, and public celebrations lasted for weeks.