What was the exact date of the formal signing of Japan’s surrender in Tokyo Bay?

The formal signing of Japan’s surrender in Tokyo Bay took place on September 2, 1945.

Japanese representatives signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri shortly after 9 a.m. Japan Standard Time. The document formalized Japan’s capitulation and brought the military hostilities of World War II to an official close.

This date differs from August 15, when Emperor Hirohito announced the surrender to the Japanese public. The distinction matters because the announcement expressed Japan’s decision to accept the Allied terms, while the September ceremony completed the legal and military process through a signed instrument.

September 2 is commonly called V-J Day, or Victory over Japan Day, in the United States and some other Allied countries. In Japan, August 15 is more closely associated with the end of the war because it was the date of the emperor’s broadcast. The surrender document was signed by Japan and representatives of nine Allied governments.