Nine Allied nations were represented by signatories on Japan’s 1945 Instrument of Surrender.
The nations were the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Douglas MacArthur signed as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, followed by representatives of the participating Allied governments.
The arrangement reflected the broad coalition that had fought Japan across the Asia-Pacific region. Chester Nimitz signed for the United States, followed by General Hsu Yung-chang for China and Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser for the United Kingdom. Representatives of the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand then signed.
The number nine can be confused with the number of individual Allied signatures after MacArthur, because MacArthur was the overall Allied commander and eight additional national representatives signed afterward. Japan had two principal signatories: Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, representing the government, and General Yoshijiro Umezu, representing Imperial General Headquarters.