On what date was the Japanese Instrument of Surrender formally signed to end World War II?

The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was formally signed on 2 September 1945.

The ceremony took place aboard the American battleship USS Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay. Japanese representatives signed on behalf of the government and Imperial General Headquarters, followed by representatives of the Allied powers.

Japan had announced its acceptance of the Allied terms in August, but the announcement and the formal legal surrender were separate events. Emperor Hirohito’s radio broadcast came on 15 August, while the written instrument was signed more than two weeks later.

The document took effect at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time. It formally ended hostilities and established the framework for Japan’s surrender and Allied occupation. The date is therefore often treated as the definitive V-J Day, although different countries commemorated Japan’s surrender on different dates.