Mamoru Shigemitsu was the first Japanese representative to sign the surrender instrument aboard USS Missouri.
Shigemitsu was Japan’s foreign minister and signed at 9:04 a.m. on September 2, 1945. His signature was made “by command and in behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese Government,” representing the civilian government’s acceptance of the Allied terms.
General Yoshijirō Umezu, chief of the Imperial General Staff, signed immediately afterward on behalf of Japanese Imperial General Headquarters. The two men were the only Japanese delegates who actually signed the document, although nine additional Japanese representatives attended the ceremony.
Shigemitsu’s role is sometimes confused with that of Umezu because both were official Japanese signatories. Shigemitsu represented the government, while Umezu represented the military headquarters. Their signatures preceded MacArthur’s acceptance of the surrender for the Allied powers.