What date is Victory over Japan Day officially commemorated in the United States?

The United States officially commemorates Victory over Japan Day on September 2, 1945.

That date marks the signing of Japan’s formal surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The ceremony ended the legal state of war between Japan and the Allied powers and is therefore the date most closely associated with the official U.S. commemoration.

August 15 is also widely connected with V-J Day because Emperor Hirohito’s surrender announcement was broadcast in Japan on that date. In the United States and other parts of the Americas, the announcement was heard on August 14 because of time-zone differences. Britain officially observes August 15, adding another layer to the differing dates.

V-J Day followed V-E Day, the Allied victory in Europe announced in May 1945. Together, the two observances mark the conclusion of World War II in its European and Pacific theaters.