On which date was Japan’s surrender announcement heard in Japan during V-J Day in 1945?

Japan’s surrender announcement was heard in Japan on August 15, 1945, during the observance later known as V-J Day.

Emperor Hirohito’s recorded radio address announced that Japan accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The broadcast was heard at noon Japan Standard Time. It was the first time many Japanese civilians had heard the emperor’s voice, making the announcement a major moment in the country’s history.

The date can vary in international accounts because of time zones. In the United States and much of the Americas, the announcement was received on August 14. August 15 is the date associated with the announcement in Japan and with official commemorations in several countries.

The announcement was not the same as the formal signing that ended the war legally. Japan’s representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945. That is why V-J Day may refer either to the August announcement or to the September ceremony, depending on the country and historical context.