On what date was Japan's formal World War II surrender signed aboard a U.S. battleship?

Japan’s formal World War II surrender was signed on September 2, 1945. Japanese representatives and Allied officials completed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender that morning in Tokyo Bay.

This date is distinct from August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito’s recorded announcement of Japan’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration was broadcast to the Japanese public. August 15 is commonly associated with V-J Day in Japan and several Allied countries, while September 2 marks the legal and ceremonial completion of the surrender.

The ceremony took place aboard the USS Missouri and lasted about 23 minutes. General Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender for the Allied powers, and representatives from Japan and nine Allied countries signed the document. President Harry S. Truman designated September 2 as the official V-J Day in the United States.

The surrender ended organized Japanese resistance in World War II, although some isolated Japanese soldiers remained unaware of the war’s end for years afterward.