What was the name of the order directing Japanese forces to surrender to designated Allied commanders?

The order directing Japanese forces to surrender to designated Allied commanders was General Order No. 1.

The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff prepared General Order No. 1, and President Harry Truman approved it on 17 August 1945. General Douglas MacArthur then issued it following Japan’s surrender. Japanese Imperial General Headquarters transmitted the order to Japan’s forces on 2 September.

The order specified which Allied commanders would receive the surrender of Japanese forces in different regions. It also required Japanese units to reveal their locations, preserve military equipment, and await disarmament instructions. This made the order essential for turning Japan’s broad surrender into a coordinated military process.

General Order No. 1 was not the same as the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. The instrument was the document signed by representatives at Tokyo Bay; General Order No. 1 gave practical instructions to millions of Japanese military personnel across Asia and the Pacific.