Summary

1

First Instrument of Surrender*

INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER

We, acting by command of and in behalf of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Government and the

Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, hereby accept the provisions set forth in the declaration issued by

the heads of the Governments of the United States, China, and Great Britain on 26 July 1945 at Potsdam,

and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which four powers are hereafter

referred to as the Allied Powers.

We hereby proclaim the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General

Headquarters and of all Japanese armed forces and all armed forces under the Japanese control wherever

situated.

We hereby command all Japanese forces wherever situated and the Japanese people to cease

hostilites forthwith, to preserve and save from damage all ships, aircraft, and military and civil property and

to comply with all requirements which my be imposed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers or

by agencies of the Japanese Government at his direction.

We hereby command the Japanese Imperial Headquarters to issue at once orders to the Commanders

of all Japanese forces and all forces under Japanese control wherever situated to surrender unconditionally

themselves and all forces under their control.

We hereby command all civil, military and naval officials to obey and enforce all proclamations, and

orders and directives deemed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers to be proper to effectuate

this surrender and issued by him or under his authority and we direct all such officials to remain at their

posts and to continue to perform their non-combatant duties unless specifically relieved by him or under his

authority.

We hereby undertake for the Emperor, the Japanese Government and their successors to carry out the

provisions of the Potsdam Declaration in good faith, and to issue whatever orders and take whatever actions

may be required by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Poers or by any other designated representative

of the Allied Powers for the purpose of giving effect to that Declaration.

We hereby command the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial General

Headquarters at once to liberate all allied prisoners of war and civilian internees now under Japanese

control and to provide for their protection, care, maintenance and immediate transportation to places as

directed.

The authority of the Emperor and the Japanese Government to rule the state shall be subject to the

Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers who will take such steps as he deems proper to effectuate these

terms of surrender.

2

Signed at TOKYO BAY, JAPAN at 0904 I on the SECOND day of SEPTEMBER, 1945

MAMORU SHIGMITSU

By Command and in behalf of the Emperor

of Japan and the Japanese Government

YOSHIJIRO UMEZU

By Command and in behalf of the Japanese

Imperial General Headquarters

Accepted at TOKYO BAY, JAPAN at 0903 I on the SECOND day of SEPTEMBER, 1945, for the United States, Republic of China, United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and in the

interests of the other United Nations at war with Japan.

DOUGLAS MAC ARTHUR

Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers

C.W. NIMITZ

United States Representative

HSU YUNG-CH'ANG

Republic of China Representative

BRUCE FRASER

United Kingdom Representative

KUZMA DEREVYANKO

Union of Soviet Socialist

Republics Representative

THOMAS BLAMEY

Commonwealth of Australia

Representative

L. MOORE COSGRAVE

Dominion of Canada Representative

JACQUES LE CLERC

Provisional Government of the French

Republic Representative

C.E.L. HELFRICH

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Representative

LEONARD M. ISITT

Dominion of New Zealand Representative

*Note: Japanese Forces signed separate Instruments of Surrender in occupied Korea and the Philippines