What was the written agreement signed aboard USS Missouri that formalized Japan’s surrender?

The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement signed aboard USS Missouri that formalized Japan’s surrender. It was signed in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945 and marked the end of hostilities in World War II.

The document stated that Japan accepted the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration and ordered Japanese forces to cease resistance. Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the Japanese government, while General Yoshijiro Umezu signed for Japanese Imperial General Headquarters.

Allied representatives then signed in sequence. General Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied powers, followed by Chester Nimitz for the United States and representatives of seven other Allied governments. The agreement took effect shortly after the ceremony concluded.

It is distinct from the Potsdam Declaration, which was an Allied demand issued before Japan surrendered. It is also distinct from the Treaty of San Francisco, signed in 1951 and effective in 1952, which established a later peace settlement with Japan and most of the Allied powers.