What title did Douglas MacArthur hold during Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony?

Douglas MacArthur held the title Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers during Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony. He accepted Japan’s surrender on behalf of the Allied nations and signed the Instrument of Surrender after the Japanese representatives.

MacArthur’s appointment gave him authority over the Allied occupation of Japan. He arrived in Tokyo on 30 August 1945, shortly before the formal ceremony, and directed the initial occupation and demilitarization arrangements.

His title is often abbreviated as SCAP, which can refer both to the commander and to the occupation headquarters under his authority. MacArthur was also a U.S. Army general and had commanded Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific, but those roles were separate from his formal surrender-ceremony title.