In Japan, on what date was V-J Day first marked in 1945?

In Japan, V-J Day was first marked on 15 August 1945.

The date followed Emperor Hirohito’s radio announcement that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The broadcast aired shortly after noon Japan Standard Time and represented the first time most Japanese civilians had heard the emperor’s voice.

The date can cause confusion because the surrender unfolded across several time zones and stages. In the United States, President Harry Truman announced Japan’s surrender on 14 August, while the formal surrender ceremony occurred on 2 September aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Britain traditionally observes 15 August as V-J Day, whereas the United States has also used 2 September for the formal end of the war.

Japan’s official observance is called the Memorial Service for the War Dead and Prayers for Peace. The government adopted the official name in 1982, although August 15 remains widely associated with the end of the Pacific War.