Japan’s formal surrender ceremony lasted 23 minutes on September 2, 1945.
The ceremony began shortly after 9:00 a.m. aboard USS Missouri and concluded at about 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time. Japanese representatives signed first, followed by General Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the Allied powers.
Although brief, the event represented the legal and military conclusion of the Pacific War. It was carefully staged on the battleship’s deck and broadcast internationally, with Allied ships and aircraft nearby.
The 23-minute ceremony should not be confused with the much longer political process that preceded it. Japan’s leaders debated surrender for days after the atomic bombings and the Soviet entry into the war, while the public announcement came on August 15. The signing was the final formal step.