The Japanese Instrument of Surrender ceremony occurred in Tokyo Bay.
On September 2, 1945, the battleship USS Missouri was anchored in the bay near Tokyo. Japanese officials boarded the ship and signed the document that formalized Japan's capitulation to the Allied powers. The location placed the ceremony close to Japan's capital while allowing a large Allied naval force to remain nearby.
The choice of Tokyo Bay also carried historical symbolism. Missouri anchored near the area where Commodore Matthew Perry's American squadron had anchored during his 1853 expedition to Japan. Perry's expedition helped lead to the Convention of Kanagawa, which opened Japan to American trade after a period of restricted foreign contact.
Around 250 Allied vessels were present in the wider area, including British and Australian ships and a Dutch hospital ship. The surrender ceremony was conducted on Missouri's deck and was broadcast internationally. It should not be confused with the August 15 announcement, which was made by radio from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.