The Official Surrender of Japan to Hong Kong

On December 25, 1941, Hong Kong surrendered to the Imperial Japanese Army following the Battle of Hong Kong, leading to a grueling three-year and eight-month occupation of the city. The occupation came to an end on August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito broadcast the surrender announcement to the Japanese people over the radio. Yet, the official surrender of Japan in the British colony of Hong Kong would only occur one month later.

The weeks following Emperor Hirohito’s announcement were highly chaotic in Hong Kong. Immediately after the broadcast, Colonial Secretary Franklin Gimson, who had been interned at Stanley Internment Camp, declared himself Acting Governor of Hong Kong and set up a provisional civil administration in anticipation of the Royal Navy's arrival. Interestingly, due to a lack of British troops, he relied entirely on Japanese forces to maintain public order.

Two weeks later, on August 30, 1945, the Royal Navy, commanded by Rear Admiral Cecil Harcourt, sailed into Victoria Harbour with a powerful naval task force to officially liberate the territory and establish a temporary military administration.

Two weeks later still, on September 16, 1945, the official surrender ceremony took place inside Government House in Central. Rear Admiral Harcourt signed the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the British and Allied forces, while Major General Umekichi Okada and Vice Admiral Ruitaro Fujita signed the documents on behalf of the defeated occupation forces.

Immediately after the signing of Japan’s surrender, the Union Jack was hoisted across Hong Kong. This was accompanied by a 21-gun salute from warships anchored in Victoria Harbour and a celebratory fly-past by the Fleet Air Arm.