On what date did Japanese representatives sign the Instrument of Surrender in Tokyo Bay?

Japanese representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

The signing occurred aboard USS Missouri, where Japanese officials formally accepted the terms imposed by the Allied powers. The document stated that Japan accepted the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration and ordered Japanese forces to cease hostilities and disarm.

This date is distinct from August 15, when Hirohito’s radio address informed the Japanese public that the government had accepted the Allied terms. August 15 is widely known as V-J Day, especially in the United States and other Allied countries. September 2 marks the formal, documented surrender and the end of the war in the Pacific.

The ceremony included signatories from Japan, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. The document took effect at approximately 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time.