What was the formal written document that recorded Japan’s surrender on September 2, 1945?

The formal written document recording Japan’s surrender was the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

This document was signed on September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. It stated that Japan accepted the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration and ordered Japanese forces to cease hostilities and surrender. The signing converted Japan’s announced decision into a formal capitulation recognized by the Allied powers.

Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu signed for Japan. General Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied powers, followed by representatives of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

The Instrument of Surrender is distinct from the Potsdam Declaration. The declaration was an Allied demand issued in July; the instrument was Japan’s acceptance and formal surrender document. It is also different from the Treaty of San Francisco, signed in 1951, which ended the Allied occupation and restored Japan’s sovereignty.