Which Allied commander presided over Japan’s formal surrender ceremony in 1945?

Douglas MacArthur presided over Japan’s formal surrender ceremony in 1945.

MacArthur served as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, the position responsible for directing the occupation and administering Allied policy in Japan. On 2 September, he opened the ceremony aboard USS Missouri and signed the surrender instrument on behalf of the Allied nations.

Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz signed immediately after MacArthur as the United States representative. This distinction matters: MacArthur presided as the senior Allied commander, while Nimitz represented the United States in the signing sequence.

After the ceremony, MacArthur led the occupation of Japan. His administration oversaw demilitarization, political reforms, a new constitution, and war-crimes trials. MacArthur remained the central Allied authority in Japan until President Harry Truman relieved him in April 1951 during the Korean War.