Nine Allied nations had representatives sign Japan’s surrender document in 1945.
The countries were the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Douglas MacArthur signed first as Supreme Commander for the Allied powers, and Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz signed for the United States.
The count refers to Allied national representatives, not to the total number of signatures. Japan supplied two signatories, while MacArthur’s separate signature reflected his multinational command role. This is why simply counting every person who signed can produce a different number.
The ceremony took place on 2 September aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The presence of nine Allied countries demonstrated that Japan’s surrender concerned the wider coalition that had fought the Pacific and Asian theaters, rather than only the United States and Japan.