What document did Japan sign on September 2, 1945, formally ending World War II?

Japan signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on September 2, 1945, formally ending World War II.

The instrument was a printed capitulation document that accepted the terms issued by the Allied powers. Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the Japanese government, followed by General Yoshijiro Umezu for Imperial General Headquarters. General Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the Allied powers then signed on behalf of their governments.

The document was signed aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay and took effect during the ceremony. It required Japan to accept the Potsdam Declaration, disarm its forces, and comply with Allied occupation arrangements. The signing followed Emperor Hirohito's radio announcement in August, so the public announcement and the legal ceremony were separate events.

The Potsdam Declaration was an earlier ultimatum, not the final surrender document. The Treaty of San Francisco came later, in 1951, and restored Japan's sovereignty after the occupation.