Who signed first for the Allies at Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony?

Douglas MacArthur signed first for the Allies at Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony.

MacArthur signed as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, the position that placed him in charge of accepting Japan’s capitulation and directing the initial occupation. He used five pens, giving several to associates and museums after the ceremony.

MacArthur’s signature appeared before those of the other Allied representatives. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz signed for the United States after MacArthur, followed by representatives of China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

The ceremony’s order reflected MacArthur’s formal role rather than a claim that the United States alone had defeated Japan. The surrender document represented the Allied coalition. MacArthur later issued orders governing Japan’s occupation, while the Japanese government remained responsible for carrying out the surrender instructions under Allied supervision.