Nine Allied nations, including the United States, signed Japan’s surrender instrument.
Douglas MacArthur signed first on behalf of the Allied powers, followed by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz for the United States. Representatives then signed for China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
This produces nine Allied nations in total: the United States plus eight other countries. The participating governments reflected the broad coalition that had fought Japan across Asia and the Pacific, as well as the international political importance of the settlement.
The number can be confused with the total number of people at the ceremony or with the number of Japanese delegates. Eleven Japanese representatives were present, but only two signed for Japan. The Allied signatures followed a carefully arranged sequence, with each representative signing for a specific government rather than signing as an undifferentiated group.