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Japanese Surrender Documents of World War 2 (1945)

 

 Following the Atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered to the forces of the United Nations, led by the United States. Below are transcriptions of various documents of surrender. The first, and best known of these is the famous surrender on the deck of the U.S.S Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. The second document on this page is of the Japanese surrender in the Philippine Islands. The third document covers the American takeover of southern Korea from the Japanese Army. The final section of this page contains the text of the surrender of Japanese forces in Southeast Asia, signed in Singapore.


THE JAPANESE SURRENDER DOCUMENTS - WWII:

 

 

TRANSLATION of Foreign Minister Shiegemitsu's credentials

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

 

H I R O H I T O ,

 

 

By the Grace of Heaven, Emperor of Japan, seated on the

Throne occupied by the same Dynasty changeless through ages

eternal,

 

To all who these Presents shall come, Greeting!

 

We do hereby authorise Mamoru Shigemitsu, Zyosanmi, First

Class of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun to attach his

signature by command and in behalf of Ourselves and Our

Government unto the Instrument of Surrender which is required

by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers to be signed.

 

In witness whereof, We have hereunto set Our signature and

caused the Great Seal of the Empire to be affixed.

 

Given at Our Palace in Tokyo, this first day of the ninth

month of the twentieth year of Syowa, being the two thousand

six hundred and fifth year from the Accession of the Emperor

Zinmu.

 

 

..

| Seal of |

| the | Signed: H I R O H I T O

| Empire |

!!

 

 

Countersigned: Naruhiko-o

Prime Minister

---------------------------------------

TRANSLATION of General Umezu's credentials

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

 

H I R O H I T O ,

 

 

By the Grace of Heaven, Emperor of Japan, seated on the

Throne occupied by the same Dynasty changeless through ages

eternal,

 

To all who these Presents shall come, Greeting!

 

We do hereby authorise Yoshijiro Umezu, Zyosanmi, First

Class of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun to attach his

signature by command and in behalf of Ourselves and Our

Government unto the Instrument of Surrender which is required

by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers to be signed.

 

In witness whereof, We have hereunto set Our signature and

caused the Great Seal of the Empire to be affixed.

 

Given at Our Palace in Tokyo, this first day of the ninth

month of the twentieth year of Syowa, being the two thousand

six hundred and fifth year from the Accession of the Emperor

Zinmu.

 

 

..

| Seal of |

| the | Signed: H I R O H I T O

| Empire |

!!

 

 

Countersigned: Yoshijiro Umezu

Chief of the General

Staff of the Imperial

Japanese Army

 

Soemu Toyoda

Chief of the General

Staff of the Imperial

Japanese Army

---------------------------------------

I N S T R U M E N T O F S U R R E N D E R

 

 

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 Repub-

lics, 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 un-

conditionally 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 ef-

fectuate 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 ef-

fectuate these terms of surrender.

 

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

---------------------------------------

 

Translation of Emperor Hirohito's Receipt of the Surrender

documents

 

P R O C L A M A T I O N

 

 

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 26th, 1945 at Potsdam and subse-

quently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,

We have commanded the Japanese Imperial Government and the

Japanese Imperial General Headquarters to sign on Our 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. We command all Our

people forthwith to cease hostilities, to lay down their arms

and faithfully to carry out all the provisions of Instrument

of Surrender and the General Orders issued by the Japanese

Imperial General Headquarters hereunder.

 

This second day of the ninth month of the twentieth

year of Syowa

 

 

..

| Seal of |

| the | Signed: H I R O H I T O

| Emperor |

!!

 

 

Countersigned: Naruhiko-o

Prime Minister

Mamoru Shigemitsu

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Iwao Yamazaki

Minister of Home Affairs

Juichi Tsushima

Minister of Finance

Sadamu Shimomura

Minister of War

Mitsumasa Yonai

Minister of Navy

Chuzo Iwata

Minister of Justice

Tamon Maeda

Minister of Education

Kenzo Matsumura

Minister of Welfare

Kotaro Sengoku

Minister of Agriculture

and Forestry

Chikuhei Nakajima

Minister of Commerce

and Industry

Naoto Kobiyama

Minister of Transportation

Fumimaro Konoe

Minister without Portfolio

Taketora Ogata

Minister without Portfolio

Binshiro Obata

Minister without Portfolio

---------------------------------------

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INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER

of the

Japanese and Japanese-Controlled Armed Forces

in the Philippine Islands

to the

Commanding General

United States Army Forces, Western Pacific

 

 

Camp John Hay

Baguio, Mountain Province,

Luzon, Philippine, Islands

3 September, 1945

 

Pursuant to and in accordance with the proclamation of 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 26 July 1945; at Potsdam and sub-

sequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;

and to the formal instrument of surrender of the Japanese Imperial

Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters signed

at Toyko Bay at 0908 on 2 September 1945:

 

1. Acting by command of and in behalf of the Emperor of

Japan, the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial

General Headquarters, We hereby surrender unconditionally to the

Commanding General, United States Army Forces, Western Pacific,

all Japanese and Japanese-controlled armed forces, air, sea, ground

and auxiliary, in the Philippine Islands.

 

2. We hereby command all Japanese forces wherever situated in

the Philippine Islands 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 Commanding General, United States Army Forces, Western

Pacific, or his authorized representatives.

 

3. We hereby direct the commanders of all Japanese forces

in the Philippine Islands to issue at once to all forces under their

command to surrender unconditionally themselves and all forces under

their control, as prisoners of war, to the nearest United States

Force Commander.

 

4. We hereby direct the commanders of all Japanese forces

in the Philippine Islands to surrender intact and in good order

to the nearest United States Army Force Commander, at times and

at places directed by him, all equipment and supplies of whatever

nature under their control.

 

5. We hereby direct the commanders of all Japanese forces in

the Philippine Islands at once to liberate all Allied prisoners of

war and civilian internees under their control, and to provide for

their protection, care, maintenance and immediate transportation to

places as directed by the nearest United States Army Force Commander.

 

6. We hereby undertake to transmit the directives given in

Paragraphs 1 through 5, above, to all Japanese forces in the Philip-

pine Islands immediatlely by all means within our power, and further

to furnish to the Commanding General, United States Army Forces,

Western Pacific, all necessary Japanese emissaries fully empowered

to bring about the surrender of Japanese forces in the Philippine

Islands with whom we are not in contact.

 

7. We hereby undertake to furnish immediatly to the Commanding

General, United States Army Forces, Western Pacific, a statement of

the designation, numbers, loacations, and commanders of all Japanese

armed forces, ground, sea, or air, in the Philippine Islands.

 

8. We hereby undertake faithfully to obey all further pro-

clamation, orders and directives deemed by the Commanding General,

United States Armed Forces, Western Pacific, to be proper to ef-

fecuate this surrender.

 

Signed at Camp John Hay, Baguio, Mountain Province, Luzon,

Philippine Islands, at 1210 hours 3 September 1945:

 

 

TOMOYUKI YAMASHITA, DENHICI OKOCHI,

General, Imperial Japanese Vice Admiral, Imperial Japanese

Army Highest Commander, Navy, Highest Commander,

Imperial Japanese Army in Imperial Japanese Navy in the

the Philippines. Philippines.

 

By command and in behalf

of the Japanese Imperial

General Headquarters

 

 

Accepted at Camp John Hay, Baguio, Mountain Province Luzon

Philippine Islands, at 1210 hours 3 September 1945:

For the Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces, Pacific:

 

 

EDMOND H. LEAVY,

Major General, USA

Deputy Commander, United States Army Forces,

Western Pacific.

---------------------------------------

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UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN KOREA

 

HEADQUARTERS XXIV CORPS

 

OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL

APO 235 c/o POSTMASTER

SAN FRANSICO, CALIFORNIA

 

 

 

FORMAL SURRENDER BY THE SENIOR JAPANESE GROUND,

SEA, AIR AND AUXILIARY FORCES COMMANDS WITHIN

KOREA SOUTH OF 38 NORTH LATITUDE TO THE COM-

MANDING GENERAL, UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN

KOREA, FOR AND IN BEHALF OF THE COMMANDER-IN-

CHIEF UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES, PAFIFIC

 

 

WHEREAS an Instrument of Surrender was on the 2d day of

September 1945 by command of and behalf of the Emperor of

Japan, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial Head-

quarters signed by Foreign Minister Mamouru Shigemitsu by com-

mand and in behalf of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese

Government and by Yoshijiro Umezu by command of and in behalf

of the Japanese Imperial Headquaters and

 

WHEREAS the terms of the Instrument of Surrender were

subsequently as follows:

 

"1. We, acting by command of an 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 Britian on 26 July 1945 at Potsdam, and

subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Repub-

lics, which four powers are hereafter referred to as the Allied

Powers.

 

"2. 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.

 

"3. 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.

 

"4. 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.

 

"5. 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 ef-

fectuate 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.

 

"6. 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.

 

"7. 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.

 

"8. 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 ef-

fectuate these terms of surrender.

 

WHEREAS the terms of surrender were, on the 2d day of September

1945 as given by the United States, the Republic of China, the

United Kingdom, the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics and other

allied powers, accepted by the Imperial Japanese Government, and

 

WHEREAS on the 2d day of September 1945 the Imperial General

Headquarters by direction of the Emperor has ordered all its

commanders in Japan and abroad to cause the Japanese Armed Forces

and Japanese controlled forces under their command to cease

hostilities at once, to lay down their arms and remain in their

present locations and to surrender unconditionally to commanders

acting in behalf of the United States, the Republic of China, the

United Kingdom, the British Empire and the Union of Socialist Rep-

ublics, and

 

WHEREAS the Imperial General Headquarters, its senior commanders

and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces in the main islands

of Japan, minor islands adjacent thereto, Korea south of 38 north

latitude and the Philippines were directed to surrender to the

Commmander-in-Chief of the United States Army Forces, Pacific and

 

WHEREAS the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army

Forces, Pacific has appointed the Commanding General, XXIV

Corps as the Command General, United States Army Forces in

Korea, and has directed him as such to act for the Commander-

in-Chief United States Army Forces, Pacific in the reception of

the surrender of the senior Japanese commanders of all Japanese

ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces in Korea south of 38

north latitude and all islands adjacent thereto. Now therefor

 

We, the undersigned, senior Japanese commanders of all

Japanese ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces in Korea south

of 38 north latitude, do hereby acknowledge:

 

a. That we have been duly advised and fully informed of

the contents of the Proclamation by the Emperor of Japan, the

Instrument of Surrender and the orders herein above referred to.

 

b. That we accept our duties and obligations under said

instruments and orders and recognize the necessity for our strict

compliance therewith and adherence thereto.

 

c. The the Commanding General, United States Army Forces

in Korea, is the duly authorized representative of the Com-

mander-in-Chief United States Army Forces, Pacific and that

we will completely and immediately carry out and put into ef-

fect his instructions.

 

Finally, we do hereby formally and unconditionally sur-

render to the Commanding General, United States Army Forces

in Korea, all persons in Korea south of 38 degrees North

Latitude who are in the Armed Forces of Japan, and all military

installations, ordnance, ships, aircraft, and other military

equipment or property of every kind or description in Korea,

including all islands adjacent thereto, south of 38 degrees

North Latitude over which we exercise jurisdiction or control.

 

In case of conflict or ambiguity between the English text

of this document and any translation thereof, the English shall

prevail.

 

Signed at SEOUL, KOREA at 1630 hours on the 9th day of

September 1945.

 

 

 

YOSHIO SOZUKI

Senior Japanese commander of all

Japanese ground and air forces

in Korea south of 38 north

latitude.

 

 

GISABURO YAMAGUCHI

Senior Japanese commander of all

Japanese naval forces in Korea

south of 38 north latitude.

 

 

I, Nobuyuki Abe, the duly appointed, qualified and acting

Governor General of KOREA do hereby certify that I have read

and fully understand the contents of the foregoing Instrument

of Surrender, and of all documents referred to therein.

 

I hereby acknowledge the duties and obligations imposed

upon me by said documents, insofar as they apply to all matters

within my jurisdiction or control as Governor General of Korea,

and recognize the necessity of my strict compliance therewith

and adherence thereto.

 

In particular do I reconize that the Commanding General,

UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN KOREA, is the duly authorized

representative of the Commander-in-Chief, UNITED STATES ARMY

FORCES, PACIFIC, and that I am completely and immediately to

carry out and put into effect his instructions.

 

Signed at SEOUL, KOREA, at 1630 hours on the 9th day of

September 1945.

 

 

 

NOBUYUKI ABE

(Governor General of KOREA)

 

 

Accepted at SEOUL, KOREA, at 1630 hours on the 9th day of

September 1945 for and in behalf of the Commander-in-Chief

of the United States Army Forces, Pacific.

 

 

JOHN R. HODGE

JOHN R. HODGE

Lieutenant General U.S. Army

Commanding General

United States Army Forces in Korea

 

 

THOMAS C. KINCAID

T. C. KINCAID

Admiral, U. S. Navy

Representative of the United States Navy

---------------------------------------

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SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER

SOUTH EAST ASIA

 

 

 

INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER OF JAPANESE FORCES UNDER

THE COMMAND OR CONTROL OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER,

JAPANESE EXPEDITIONARY FORCES, SOUTHERN REGIONS,

WITHIN THE OPERATIONAL THEATRE OF THE SUPREME

ALLIED COMMANDER, SOUTH EAST ASIA

 

 

1. In pursuance of and in compliance with:

 

(a) the Instrument of Surrender signed by the Japanese

plenipotentiaries by command and on behalf of the

Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Government and the

Japanese Imperial General Headquarters at Toyko on

2 September, 1945;

 

(b) General Order No. 1, promulgated at the same place

and on the same date;

 

(c) the Local Agreement made by the Supreme Commander,

Japanese Expeditionary Forces, Southern Regions, with

the Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia at

Rangoon on 27 August, 1945;

 

to all of which Instrument of Surrender, General Order and Local

Agreement this present Instrument is complementary and which it in

no way supersedes, the Supreme Commander, Japanese Expeditionary

Forces, Southern Regions (Field Marshall Count Terauchi) does

hereby surrender unconditionally to the Supreme Allied Commander,

South East Asia (Admiral The Lord Louis Mountbatten) himself and

all Japanese sea, ground, air and auxiliary forces under his

command or control and within the operational theatre of the

Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia.

 

2. The Supreme Commander, Japanese Expeditionary Forces, Southern

Regions, undertakes to ensure that all orders and instructions that

may be issued from time to time by the Supreme Allied Commander,

South East Asia, or by any of his subordinate Naval, Military, or

Air-Force Commanders of whatever rank acting in his name, are

scrupulously and promptly obeyed by all Japanese sea, ground, air

and auxiliary forces under the command or control of the Supreme

Commander, Japanese Expeditionary Forces, Southern Regions, and

within the operational theatre of the Supreme Allied Commander,

South East Asia.

 

3. Any disobediance of, or delay or failure to comply with, orders

or instructions issued by the Supreme Allied Commander, South East

Asia, or issued on his behalf by any of his subordinate Naval,

Military, or Air Force Commanders of whatever rank, and any

action which the Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia, or

his subordinate Commanders action on his behalf, may determine to

be detrimental to the Allied Powers, will be dealt with as the

Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia may decide.

 

4. This Instrument takes effect from the time and date of signing.

 

5. This Instrument is drawn up in the English Language, which is

the only authentic version. In any case of doubt to intention or

meaning, the decision of the Supreme Allied Commander, South East

Asia is final. It is the responsibility of the Supreme Commander,

Japanese Expeditionary Forces, Southern Regions, to make such

translations into Japanese as he may require.

 

 

Signed at Singapore at 0341 hours (G.M.T.) on 12 September, 1945.

 

 

 

SEISHIRO ITAGAKI LOUIS MOUNTBATTAN

(for) SUPREME COMMANDER SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER

JAPANESE EXPEDITIONARY FORCES, SOUTH EAST ASIA

SOUTHERN REGIONS

 

 

-------------------------------------

 

Prepared by Monty "Doc" White (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa201)

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