On what date was the Japanese Instrument of Surrender signed?

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

The signing took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Japanese representatives Mamoru Shigemitsu and Yoshijiro Umezu signed first, followed by General Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

This date is different from August 15, when Emperor Hirohito’s recorded surrender announcement was broadcast to Japan. August 15 is often treated as V-J Day in countries that received the news on that date, while the United States has also used August 14 because of the time difference. September 2 marks the formal signing and legal completion of the surrender ceremony.

The instrument took effect at 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time. The ceremony ended the major armed conflict between Japan and the Allied powers, although separate surrender ceremonies for Japanese forces occurred elsewhere in Asia during the following weeks.