Tokyo Bay was the site of Japan’s formal surrender ceremony in 1945.
On September 2, Japanese delegates traveled from Tokyo to Yokohama and boarded USS Missouri, which was anchored in Tokyo Bay. The location placed the ceremony close to Japan’s capital while allowing a major Allied naval presence to surround the ship.
The bay was filled with Allied vessels, including ships of the United States, Britain, Australia, and other countries. The ceremony’s setting emphasized that Japan’s surrender followed a multinational war effort, even though the United States organized and hosted the event.
Tokyo Bay is sometimes confused with Yokohama because the Japanese delegation boarded at Yokohama. Yokohama was the departure point; Tokyo Bay was the anchorage and location of the signing aboard Missouri.