In World War II commemorations, what does “V-J Day” stand for?

In World War II commemorations, “V-J Day” stands for Victory over Japan Day.

The abbreviation refers to the Allied victory over Japan and the end of World War II in the Pacific. In the United States, the term is most closely associated with Japan’s announcement that it would accept the Allied surrender terms in August 1945. Japan’s formal surrender document was signed later, on September 2, aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

The date associated with V-J Day varies by country and time zone. The announcement was broadcast in Japan on August 15, while the United States observed the announcement on August 14 because of the time difference. This is why both dates appear in historical accounts.

V-J Day is the Pacific counterpart to V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, which marked Nazi Germany’s surrender in May 1945. V-J Day should not be confused with the September 2 ceremony, which legally completed the surrender process.