In Japan's 1945 surrender, which date is most commonly called V-J Day in Japan?

V-J Day in Japan is most commonly observed on August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito’s surrender announcement was broadcast.

The recorded address told the Japanese people that Japan had accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. It was broadcast shortly after noon in Japan and became the first time most Japanese people heard their emperor’s voice.

The date can cause confusion because surrender unfolded in stages. The United States announced the news on August 14 because of time-zone differences, while the formal surrender document was signed on September 2 aboard USS Missouri. Britain officially observes August 15 as V-J Day, whereas the United States traditionally commemorates September 2.

The announcement followed the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Soviet declaration of war on Japan, and intense political debate within Japan. The September ceremony formally ended hostilities, but August 15 remains the central date for Japan’s public remembrance of the surrender.