Japanese Instrument of Surrender
The Japanese Instrument of Surrender ended World War II on September 2, 1945. The signing took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan. Signatories were representatives from the Allied Forces and the Japanese Empire including: General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers; Mamoru Shigmitsu, on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese government; and Yoshijiro Umezu, on behalf of the Japanese Imperial Headquarters.
In the surrender, Japan formally agreed to the terms set forth in the Potsdam Declaration, and ordered a cessation of hostilities of all Japanese forces. There are additional instruments of surrender that were carried out at other areas under Japanese control, including South Korea, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and other Pacific islands.
Japanese Instrument of Surrender, page 1, September 2, 1945. National Archives Identifier: 1752336.
Japanese Instrument of Surrender, page 2, September 2, 1945. National Archives Identifier: 1752336.
View and download the Japanese Instrument of Surrender in the National Archives Catalog. You can explore more records held in the National Archives at College Park through the National Archives Catalog or by visiting our research room in person. These records are located in Record Group 218: Records of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Series: Instruments of Japanese Surrender, September 1945–September 1945.