Who signed the 1945 Instrument of Surrender for Japan's government?

Mamoru Shigemitsu signed the 1945 Instrument of Surrender for the Japanese government. He was Japan's foreign minister and signed on behalf of the emperor and the Japanese government.

Shigemitsu signed at 9:04 a.m. Japan Standard Time aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945. His signature preceded that of General Yoshijirō Umezu, who signed for Imperial General Headquarters and the Japanese armed forces.

The distinction between the two Japanese signatories is important. Shigemitsu represented the civilian government, while Umezu represented the military command. Both were required because Japan's surrender involved the state and its armed forces.

Shigemitsu later served in postwar Japanese politics and returned to the foreign ministry in the 1950s. His role in 1945 is often confused with Umezu's because both signed the same surrender document.