In the United States, what date is officially observed as V-J Day for Japan’s 1945 surrender?

In the United States, September 2, 1945, is officially observed as V-J Day for Japan’s surrender.

The date refers to the formal signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The ceremony ended the organized hostilities of World War II, although Japan had announced its acceptance of Allied terms weeks earlier.

Different countries use different dates for V-J Day. Japan and many Commonwealth countries commemorate August 15, the date Emperor Hirohito’s surrender announcement was broadcast or received. In the United States, August 14 was the date news reached much of the public because of time-zone differences, while September 2 marks the legal and ceremonial conclusion.

V-J means “Victory over Japan,” paralleling V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day. The date is sometimes confused with the August announcement, but the two milestones represent Japan’s acceptance and the later formal instrument, respectively.