What document did Japanese representatives sign to formally end hostilities with the Allies in World War II?

Japanese representatives signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender to formally end hostilities with the Allies in World War II.

The document was signed aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. It stated that Japan accepted the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration and ordered the unconditional surrender of Japanese armed forces. The Japanese government and Imperial General Headquarters were represented separately.

Mamoru Shigemitsu signed first for the Japanese government, followed by General Yoshijiro Umezu for Imperial General Headquarters. General Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied powers, and representatives of eight other Allied nations added their signatures.

The Instrument of Surrender is not the same document as the Potsdam Declaration. The declaration, issued in July 1945, demanded Japan’s surrender and outlined the consequences of continued resistance. The instrument was the later capitulation document that recorded Japan’s acceptance and made the surrender official.