Eleven Japanese delegates were sent to the USS Missouri surrender ceremony in 1945.
The delegation included representatives from the Japanese government, Imperial General Headquarters, the Army, the Navy, and the Foreign Ministry. The group left Tokyo early on September 2, traveled to Yokohama, and then boarded a smaller vessel to reach Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Only two of the eleven delegates signed the instrument. Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the Emperor and Japanese government, while General Yoshijirō Umezu signed for Imperial General Headquarters. The other nine delegates attended as supporting officials and witnesses.
The distinction between delegates and signatories matters because accounts often mention only the two Japanese men whose signatures appear on the document. The full delegation was larger, reflecting the need to represent both civilian and military authority during a carefully staged surrender. The Allies had received the names in advance, although only the two signatories were initially disclosed to the press.