Which American general presided over Japan’s surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay in 1945?

Douglas MacArthur presided over Japan’s surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay in 1945. As Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, he opened and closed the brief ceremony aboard the USS Missouri on September 2.

MacArthur signed the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Allied powers after the Japanese representatives had signed. His role was broader than representing only the United States: the ceremony included signatories from several Allied nations, each representing their own government or military authority.

Admiral Chester Nimitz signed for the United States, while representatives from China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand also signed. This distinction causes a common mix-up: MacArthur presided and signed for the Allied powers, but Nimitz was the American signatory. MacArthur then became the central Allied authority overseeing Japan’s occupation and postwar reforms.