What title did Douglas MacArthur hold when he presided over Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony?

Douglas MacArthur held the title Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers when he presided over Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony.

MacArthur served as the senior Allied authority for the occupation and administration of Japan after the war. At the ceremony aboard USS Missouri, he represented the Allied powers and formally accepted the Japanese surrender. His position is commonly abbreviated as SCAP, although the title referred to the office rather than simply to a battlefield command.

MacArthur’s role was broader than commanding U.S. forces in the Pacific. He directed the Allied occupation of Japan, which included demilitarization, political reforms, trials, and the drafting of a new Japanese constitution. The occupation continued until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952.

He should not be confused with Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, who signed the document as the U.S. representative. MacArthur presided for the Allied powers, while Nimitz represented the United States among the signatories.