In the United States, what date is commonly observed as Victory over Japan Day, or V-J Day?

In the United States, Victory over Japan Day, or V-J Day, is commonly observed on September 2, 1945.

That date marks Japan’s formal surrender ceremony aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Japanese representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender, and the ceremony formally ended the Second World War for Japan. The signing took place in the morning, Japan Standard Time.

The date can be confusing because V-J Day is also used for August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito’s recorded surrender announcement was broadcast in Japan. In the United States, news of the surrender was announced on August 14 because of the time difference, prompting large public celebrations, including the famous Times Square photograph.

September 2 is therefore the date associated with the legal and ceremonial completion of Japan’s surrender, while August 14 or 15 refers to the public announcement. Both dates appear in historical accounts, but they describe different stages of the surrender process.