Japan's formal surrender ceremony was postponed because of poor weather.
The ceremony was originally scheduled for 31 August 1945, but unfavorable weather delayed the event. It was held aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on 2 September instead. The delay gave Allied planners additional time to position ships and complete preparations for the formal signing.
Missouri entered Tokyo Bay on 29 August, after weather and operational conditions had shaped the final schedule. The Japanese delegation arrived by boat on the morning of 2 September, and the ceremony began shortly after 9 a.m. Tokyo time.
The postponement is easy to overlook because 15 August is commonly remembered as V-J Day in connection with Japan's surrender announcement. The 31 August date was only the planned date for the formal ceremony; it was not the date of the announcement or the final signing. The document was ultimately signed on 2 September, the date associated with the legal conclusion of the war.