Representatives of nine Allied nations signed Japan’s Instrument of Surrender.
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 for the Allied powers in his role as Supreme Commander, followed by the national representatives.
The group reflected the broad coalition that had fought Japan across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Some nations, such as the United States and China, had fought Japan for years, while the Soviet Union entered the war against Japan only in August 1945.
The number nine refers to Allied national representatives, not the total number of people at the ceremony. Japanese representatives also signed, and numerous military officers, sailors, journalists, and observers attended aboard USS Missouri. The ceremony took place in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.