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

The “V-J” in V-J Day stands for “Victory over Japan.”

The expression was modeled on V-E Day, meaning Victory in Europe, which marked Nazi Germany’s surrender in May 1945. Allied governments and news organizations used V-J Day for the victory over Imperial Japan in the Pacific War.

The term can refer to more than one date. Japan announced its acceptance of Allied surrender terms on August 15, 1945, in Japan and many Commonwealth countries. Because of time-zone differences, the announcement was August 14 in the United States and much of the Americas. The formal surrender document was signed on September 2, 1945.

A common mix-up is confusing V-J Day with the signing ceremony itself. Both dates are associated with the end of the war, but “V-J” describes victory over Japan rather than a particular document or broadcast.