In Japan, Emperor Hirohito's surrender announcement was broadcast on August 15, 1945, the date commonly called V-J Day there.
The recorded message, known as the Gyokuon-hōsō or Jewel Voice Broadcast, announced Japan's acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and the Allied terms. It was broadcast shortly after noon Japan Standard Time. For many Japanese listeners, it was the first time they had heard the emperor's voice.
The date can cause confusion because time zones produced different calendar dates elsewhere. In the United States and several other places, the announcement was heard on August 14. The formal surrender ceremony took place later, on September 2, aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Japan's government later gave August 15 an official name meaning “day for mourning of war dead and praying for peace.” V-J Day remains a commonly used historical term, but different countries commemorate the end of the Pacific War on different dates.