What was Japan’s 1945 surrender document officially called?

Japan’s 1945 surrender document was officially called the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

The instrument was a printed agreement that formalized Japan’s capitulation and brought its hostilities with the Allied powers to an end. It was signed aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

The document required Japan to accept the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration. It also stated that Japanese forces would cease operations, surrender their weapons, and carry out the orders of the Allied occupation authorities.

The instrument was signed by Japanese and Allied representatives. Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the Japanese government, while General Yoshijirō Umezu signed for Imperial General Headquarters. General Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied powers. The instrument is distinct from a later peace treaty: it ended active hostilities, while the Treaty of San Francisco later restored Japan’s sovereignty.