Where Did Japan Sign the Surrender on the USS Missouri?
Key takeaway
Japan's formal surrender ending World War II was signed on the veranda deck of the USS Missouri, a battleship anchored in Tokyo Bay, on September 2, 1945. The ceremony took place on the ship's starboard side, on a makeshift table set up specifically for the event, with Japanese officials signing first, followed by General Douglas MacArthur and representatives of the Allied nations. Today you can stand on that same deck, since the Missouri is permanently moored at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, where the surrender site is marked and open to visitors.
Key takeaways
- The surrender was signed on the USS Missouri's veranda deck in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, not at Pearl Harbor itself.
- Japan's Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu signed for Japan; General Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied Powers.
- The Missouri is now a museum ship at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, where the exact surrender spot is preserved with a plaque and replica table.
The exact location: Tokyo Bay, not Pearl Harbor
A common mix-up is assuming the surrender happened at Pearl Harbor since that's where the war with Japan began and where the Missouri is now docked. In reality, the ceremony took place in Tokyo Bay, off the coast of Japan, with the Missouri anchored among a fleet of Allied warships. The specific spot was the veranda deck, a covered outdoor area on the starboard side of the ship's second deck, chosen because it offered enough space for officials, photographers, and military brass to gather. A simple table, borrowed from the ship's mess, was covered with a green felt cloth for the occasion, and the surrender documents were laid out on it for signing.
Who signed, and in what order
The signing followed a strict protocol. According to the National WWII Museum, representatives signed in this sequence:
- Mamoru Shigemitsu, Japan's Foreign Minister, signed first on behalf of the Emperor and the Japanese government.
- General Yoshijiro Umezu signed next, representing Japan's Imperial General Headquarters.
- General Douglas MacArthur signed as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
- Representatives from the United States, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand signed in turn afterward.
The entire ceremony lasted about 23 minutes. MacArthur used multiple pens during his own signature, later distributing them as keepsakes to senior officers who had endured Japanese captivity or led major campaigns in the Pacific.
Why the USS Missouri was chosen
The Missouri wasn't selected by accident. It was named after President Harry Truman's home state, and Truman's daughter Margaret had christened the ship in 1944. Beyond the political symbolism, the Missouri was a modern Iowa-class battleship with ample deck space and was present in Tokyo Bay as part of the Allied naval buildup, making it a practical and fitting choice for a ceremony meant to project American naval power alongside the formal end of hostilities.
If you're curious what became of the ship after that historic day, a separate guide covers the Missouri's postwar service and eventual move to Pearl Harbor in more detail.
Seeing the surrender site today
After decades of active and reserve service, the Missouri was decommissioned and eventually became a museum ship, permanently berthed at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor since 1998. The veranda deck where the surrender was signed is preserved as part of the ship's self-guided and guided tour routes, marked with a plaque and a replica of the signing table. Visitors can stand in the same spot where the documents were signed and read the text of the Instrument of Surrender, which officially ended World War II.
Because the Missouri sits at the opposite end of Ford Island from the USS Arizona Memorial, most visitors see both sites in a single day. A shuttle connects the Pearl Harbor visitor center to the Missouri's dock, and timing your visit around the length of a typical USS Arizona Memorial tour helps you plan enough time for both ships without feeling rushed.
How this fits into a Pearl Harbor visit
Pearl Harbor is often described as the place where America entered World War II, and the Missouri's deck represents the war's formal end — a pairing that gives the full site unusual historical weight. Many guided tours, including those run by Pearl Harbor Official, route visitors from the USS Arizona Memorial to the Missouri specifically so the beginning and end of the war can be understood together rather than as separate stops. For planning purposes, it helps to understand what the broader Pearl Harbor memorial complex includes before deciding how much time to budget for each site.
The National Park Service, which manages the USS Arizona Memorial in partnership with the U.S. Navy, notes that Pearl Harbor National Memorial draws visitors from around the world each year specifically to connect the attack of December 7, 1941, with the war's conclusion aboard the Missouri less than four years later, according to the National Park Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where exactly on the USS Missouri was the surrender signed?
It was signed on the ship's veranda deck, a covered area on the starboard side of the second deck, at a table set up specifically for the ceremony.
Q: What date did Japan sign the surrender?
Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender on September 2, 1945, formally ending World War II.
Q: Was the surrender signed at Pearl Harbor?
No. The surrender was signed in Tokyo Bay, off the coast of Japan. The USS Missouri now rests at Pearl Harbor, but it was moved there decades later as a museum ship.
Q: Who represented Japan at the signing?
Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed on behalf of the Emperor and civilian government, and General Yoshijiro Umezu signed on behalf of Japan's Imperial General Headquarters.
Q: Can visitors see the exact surrender spot today?
Yes. The USS Missouri is docked at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, and the veranda deck is part of the ship's tour route, marked with a plaque and a replica signing table.