Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Yoshijiro Umezu signs the Instrument of Surrender

General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), September 2, 1945. Watching from across the table are Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. Representatives of the Allied powers, are behind General MacArthur. After finishing his introductory statement General MacArthur directed the representatives of Japan to sign the two Instruments of Surrender, one each for the Allied and Japanese governments. At 0904 Hours, Foreign Minister Shigemitsu signed, followed two minutes later by General Umezu. General MacArthur then led the Allied delegations in signing, first US Navy Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz as United States Representative, then the representatives of China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, The Netherlands and New Zealand. All signatures were in place by 0922. Following a few brief remarks by MacArthur, the ceremonies concluded at 0925. Photographed from atop Missouri's 16-inch gun turret Number 2.