Nine Allied governments were represented by signatories on Japan’s Instrument of Surrender.
The governments were the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Their representatives signed after Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender and Chester Nimitz signed for the United States.
This number is different from the number of Japanese personnel connected with the ceremony. Japan had two principal signatories: Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, representing the government, and General Yoshijiro Umezu, representing the armed forces. Several additional Japanese delegates attended but did not sign the document.
The Allied signatories represented the coalition that had fought Japan across the Pacific and in Asia. Their order and seating were carefully arranged, reflecting both military roles and diplomatic relationships. The ceremony’s limited number of signatories made it orderly, while the surrounding fleet and international attendance emphasized the surrender’s global importance.