Who was the first Japanese signatory of the Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri?

Mamoru Shigemitsu was the first Japanese signatory of the Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri.

Shigemitsu was Japan’s foreign minister and signed the document at about 9:04 a.m. on 2 September 1945. His signature was made on behalf of the emperor and the Japanese government. General Yoshijirō Umezu, chief of the Army General Staff, signed next for Japanese Imperial General Headquarters.

The Japanese delegation contained eleven representatives, but only Shigemitsu and Umezu signed the instrument. The other delegates represented the army, navy, and foreign ministry and attended to support the formal act of capitulation.

Shigemitsu had previously served as a diplomat and had been involved in Japanese foreign policy during the war. His presence represented the civilian government, while Umezu represented the military command. Their separate roles reflected the structure of Japan’s wartime state and the need for both governmental and military authorities to accept the surrender. The document was signed in two versions, one for the Allied powers and one for Japan.