Japan signs unconditional surrender to end World War II

Japanese officials have signed an unconditional surrender aboard the American battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, officially ending World War II. The ceremony was attended by 50 Allied generals and officials. Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed the instrument of surrender on behalf of the Japanese government.

Under the terms of the surrender and the Potsdam Declaration, Japan has agreed to end all hostilities, release all prisoners of war, and acknowledge the authority of the US Supreme Commander. While Emperor Hirohito will remain as a symbolic head of state, Japanese sovereignty is confined to the four main islands.

Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur addressed the dignitaries, urging full and faithful compliance with the terms. He noted that the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had “revised the traditional concept of war” and expressed hope for a world founded on freedom and justice. Following the signing, US forces began landing in Tokyo Bay to establish an occupying presence, which is expected to grow to approximately 500,000 personnel.