Nine Allied nations besides Japan were represented by signatories on the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.
General Douglas MacArthur signed first for the Allied powers, followed by representatives of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Thus, nine Allied governments had representatives sign after MacArthur’s signature.
The arrangement reflected the multinational nature of the Pacific War. Chester Nimitz signed for the United States, while representatives such as General Xu Yongchang, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, and Lieutenant General Kuzma Derevyanko signed for other Allied powers. Each delegation had a designated place in the carefully planned ceremony.
The number can cause confusion because MacArthur signed as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, while Nimitz and the eight other national representatives signed for individual governments. Japan itself had two principal signatories: Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijirō Umezu.