In Japan, on what date was the surrender announcement that became V-J Day broadcast in 1945?

In Japan, the surrender announcement that became V-J Day was broadcast on August 15, 1945.

Emperor Hirohito’s recorded address was transmitted at noon Japan Standard Time. It announced that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, which demanded the country’s surrender. Because the speech used formal Classical Japanese and avoided a direct, simple statement that Japan had capitulated, many listeners initially found it difficult to understand.

This date is sometimes confused with September 2, 1945. August 15 marks the public announcement of Japan’s decision, while September 2 marks the formal signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri. Time zones also created a date difference: the announcement was heard on August 14 in much of the Americas.

V-J Day means Victory over Japan Day. Different countries and historical references use August 15, August 14, or September 2 depending on whether they mean the announcement, the international date of reception, or the legal signing ceremony.