On what date was Japan's formal Instrument of Surrender signed in Tokyo Bay?

Japan's formal Instrument of Surrender was signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

The ceremony took place aboard the USS Missouri shortly after 9 a.m. Japan Standard Time. Japanese representatives signed first, followed by General Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the Allied powers. The document took effect at about 9:25 a.m., formally ending hostilities between Japan and the Allies.

September 2 is often called V-J Day in formal historical contexts, especially because it marks the legal surrender ceremony. August 15 is also widely known as V-J Day because that was when Hirohito's surrender announcement was broadcast to the Japanese people. The two dates describe different stages of the same process.

The surrender document listed the Allied powers participating in the ceremony, including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.