U.S. President Harry Truman announced Japan had accepted surrender terms on August 14, 1945.
Truman’s nationwide radio announcement followed Japan’s communication that it accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The announcement was broadcast in the United States on the evening of August 14, using U.S. local time. In Japan, it was already August 15.
This difference explains why V-J Day is associated with August 14 or August 15 in different countries. The formal surrender ceremony did not occur until September 2, 1945, when Japanese representatives signed the surrender document aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
The August announcement marked Japan’s decision to stop fighting, while the September ceremony completed the formal legal process. Some sources also distinguish these dates from the emperor’s radio address, which Japanese listeners heard on August 15.