On what date was Japan’s surrender formally signed in the Surrender of Japan ceremony?

Japan’s surrender was formally signed on September 2, 1945, during a ceremony in Tokyo Bay. This date marks the legal end of Japan’s participation in World War II and is commonly associated with the formal conclusion of the war.

The ceremony took place aboard the USS Missouri, where Japanese representatives signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender before Allied representatives. Japan had already accepted the surrender terms in August, but the acceptance announcement and the formal signing were separate events.

The distinction between August 15 and September 2 causes frequent confusion. Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s acceptance of the surrender terms on August 15, while the official document was signed more than two weeks later. The ceremony ended at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time, after signatures from Japanese and Allied delegates had been completed.

September 2 is therefore the date used for the formal surrender ceremony, while August 15 is often remembered as V-J Day in countries that observed Japan’s announced capitulation.