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 may 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 Powers 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.
Signed at TOKYO BAY, JAPAN at 0904 I
on the SECOND day of SEPTEMBER, 1945
MAMORU SHIEGEMITSU
By Command and on Behalf of the Emperor
of Japan and the Japanese Government
YOSHIJIRO UMEZU
By Command and on 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
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