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Instrument of Surrender


Instrument of Surrender page 1

Instrument of surrender page 2

Instrument of Surrender page 3

Instrument of Surrender page 4

 

 

 

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 Japanese control wherever situated.

              We hereby command all Japanese forces wherever situated and the Japanese people to cease hostilities 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 General 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, 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 action 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   on the   Second   day of  September  , 1945.

           Mamoru Shigemitsu           

By Command and in behalf of the Emperor of Japan and

the Japanese Government.

                 Yoshijiro Umezo             

By Command and in behalf of the Japanese Imperial

General Headquarters.

 

              Accepted at   Tokyo Bay, Japan   at   0908   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 MacArthur        

Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers

    C.W. Nimitz    

United States Representative

 

    Hsu Yung – Chang    

Republic of China Representative

 

    Bruce Fraser    

United Kingdom Representative

 

    Lieutenant General K. Derevyanko    

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Representative

 

    T.A. Blamey    

Commonwealth of Australia Representative

 

    L. Moore Cosgrane    

Dominion of Canada Representative

 

    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

 

Proclamation by the Emperor of Japan

              Accepting the terms set forth in the Declaration issued by the heads of the Governments of the United States, Great Britain and China on July 26, 1945 at Potsdam and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, I have commanded the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters to sign on my behalf the instrument of surrender presented by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and to issue General Orders to the Military and Naval forces in accordance with the direction of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. I command all my people forthwith to cease hostilities, to lay down their arms and faithfully to carry out all the provisions of the instrument of surrender and the General Orders issued by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters thereunder.

 

From the Papers of Elting Morison, Box 1, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command.

 

Published: Wed Aug 26 07:34:18 EDT 2020