Japan’s formal World War II surrender ceremony was held in Tokyo Bay aboard the battleship USS Missouri.
The location placed the ceremony close to Japan’s capital while keeping it on an Allied warship. Tokyo Bay had major symbolic value because American naval forces entered it during the occupation, and the ceremony took place within sight of the Japanese homeland.
Representatives of Japan and nine Allied nations attended on 2 September 1945. The proceedings began shortly after 9 a.m. and lasted about 23 minutes. General Douglas MacArthur opened the ceremony and accepted the surrender on behalf of the Allied powers.
Tokyo Bay is sometimes confused with Tokyo itself or with Yokohama, another important port in the region. The surrender document specifically records Tokyo Bay as the place where the instrument was signed. The event ended the legal state of war between Japan and the principal Allied powers.