Who was the first Japanese representative to sign the surrender document aboard USS Missouri?

Mamoru Shigemitsu was the first Japanese representative to sign the surrender document aboard USS Missouri.

Shigemitsu was Japan’s foreign minister and signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender at about 9:04 a.m. on September 2, 1945. He signed by command and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese government. His signature preceded that of General Yoshijirō Umezu, who represented Imperial General Headquarters.

Shigemitsu attended the ceremony in formal diplomatic dress and used a cane because he had lost a leg after an assassination attempt in 1932. His presence represented Japan’s civilian government, while Umezu represented the armed forces.

The distinction between the two Japanese signatories is important. Shigemitsu did not sign as commander of Japan’s military, and Umezu did not sign as foreign minister. Together, their signatures covered the government and military authorities whose surrender the document formalized.