Who filmed the 1945 Japanese surrender ceremony in color?

George F. Kosco filmed the 1945 Japanese surrender ceremony in color.

Kosco recorded the ceremony aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, when Japanese and Allied representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender in Tokyo Bay. The color footage documented the event from the ship and captured the officials, signing tables, and surrounding naval presence.

Although the ceremony was filmed at the time, the color footage was not released publicly until 2010. This delay means many people know the event primarily through black-and-white still photographs and newsreel images, even though a color record also exists.

The ceremony lasted only about 23 minutes and was carefully arranged. Japanese representatives signed first, followed by MacArthur and the Allied delegates. Aircraft and ships were positioned around Tokyo Bay, and the event was broadcast internationally. Kosco’s film is therefore valuable not only as a record of the signatures but also as visual evidence of the ceremony’s setting and choreography.

The footage should not be confused with later documentaries that reused or restored the original material.