Yoshijiro Umezu was the second Japanese representative to sign the surrender instrument aboard USS Missouri.
Umezu was Chief of the Army General Staff, making him the senior representative of Japan's military command. He signed at 9:06 a.m. on September 2, 1945, two minutes after Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the emperor and Japanese government.
The document therefore recorded separate signatures for Japan's political leadership and Imperial General Headquarters. Umezu's signature acknowledged the surrender of Japan's armed forces, while Shigemitsu's represented the government that accepted the Allied terms.
Umezu had opposed surrender before the emperor's decision, but he ultimately signed the instrument in obedience to the imperial command. After the ceremony, the document was signed by Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the Allied powers, completing the formal process.