Japanese holdouts were Japanese soldiers who, after the official surrender of Japan after World War II, either refused to believe the veracity of the formal surrender due to strong, dogmatic, militaristic principles, or were not aware of it due to the cut-off communications that resulted from the United States island hopping campaign. They would continue to fight occupying forces years after the war was over, the last holdout finally surrendering in 1980, thirty-five years after World War II. Representatives of Japan stand aboard the USS Missouri prior to signing of the Instrument of Surrender The Instrument of Surrender of Japan was the armistice ending World War II. It was signed by representatives of the Empire of Japan, the United States, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air. ... Island hopping refers to crossing an ocean by a series of shorter journeys between islands, as opposed to a single journey directly across the ocean to the destination. ...
Identification of Japanese soldiers by unknown Japanese donor.
American Japanese Sergeant Okamoto in discussion with Oba's Lieutenant during surrender ceremony.
American Japanese Sergeant Okamoto (standing) conversing with Captain Oba (in jeep, on right), and a Japanese Navy Lt. Commander who assisted as translator and moderator (in jeep, on left).
The instrument was first signed by the Japanese foreign minister Mamoru Shigemitsu "By Command and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese Government" and then Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu "By Command and on behalf of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters" at 9:04 a.m.
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 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.
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