Where was Japan’s World War II surrender ceremony held?

Japan’s World War II surrender ceremony was held aboard USS Missouri.

The ceremony took place on the battleship’s deck in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. USS Missouri was an Iowa-class battleship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1944. It had served in the Pacific during the final months of the war and was chosen as the venue for the historic signing.

The ship was anchored among a large Allied fleet near Japan. General Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender on behalf of the Allied powers, while Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz signed for the United States. Representatives from Japan and seven other Allied governments also signed the document.

A plaque now marks the spot on Missouri’s deck where the instrument was signed. The ship later became a museum at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It remains a prominent site for visitors studying the end of World War II, alongside the USS Arizona Memorial.