In the 1945 V-J Day name, what does “V-J” mean?

In the 1945 V-J Day name, “V-J” means Victory over Japan.

The abbreviation followed the Allied naming pattern established by V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, which marked Germany’s defeat in May 1945. V-J Day referred to Japan’s defeat and the end of the Pacific War.

The term can describe more than one date. In Japan and many Commonwealth countries, it commonly refers to August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito’s surrender announcement was broadcast. In the United States, September 2 was officially designated V-J Day because Japan signed the surrender document that day.

A frequent mix-up is treating V-J Day as a single universally observed date. Time zones also meant the surrender announcement reached the United States on August 14, while it was August 15 in Japan. The related term V-P Day, meaning Victory in the Pacific Day, was especially common in Australia.