Nine Allied governments had representatives sign Japan’s surrender document aboard USS Missouri.
The signatories represented the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. General Douglas MacArthur signed first as Supreme Commander for the Allied powers, and the national representatives then signed for their respective governments.
The number nine refers to the Allied governments represented on the document, not the number of people present. MacArthur and the nine national representatives made ten Allied signatures in total. Japan supplied two principal signatories: Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu.
The ceremony reflected the broad coalition that had fought Japan across the Pacific and in Asia. The Soviet Union entered the war against Japan only in August 1945, but its representative signed the September instrument. Several Allied countries also provided forces, ships, or logistical support even though only selected governments had representatives sign the central document.