What does the “V-J” in V-J Day stand for in the 1945 victory announcement?

The “V-J” in V-J Day stands for “Victory over Japan.” The phrase identifies the Allied victory over Imperial Japan in World War II.

The name was modeled on V-E Day, meaning Victory in Europe Day, which marked Germany's surrender in May 1945. After Japan accepted the Allied terms, newspapers and governments used V-J Day for the celebrations that followed. The related expression V-P Day, or Victory in the Pacific Day, was also used in some countries, especially in the British Commonwealth.

The label can refer to both the surrender announcement and the later signing ceremony. In Japan and the United Kingdom, August 15 became the principal announcement date, while the United States commonly observed August 14 because of time-zone differences. September 2 marked the formal signing aboard USS Missouri. Despite these date differences, the “J” consistently identifies Japan, not Europe, Germany, or the broader Pacific region.