What does “V-J Day” mean in accounts of Japan’s 1945 surrender?

“V-J Day” means “Victory over Japan” in accounts of Japan’s 1945 surrender.

The abbreviation parallels V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, which marked Nazi Germany’s surrender in May 1945. V-J Day refers to the Allied victory over Japan and the end of the Pacific War, although different countries observed it on different dates.

Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s acceptance of the Allied terms on August 15, 1945, in Japan. The formal surrender documents were signed aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2. In the United States, V-J observances commonly center on August 14 because news arrived there on August 14 local time; many other countries use August 15 or September 2.

The term does not mean Japan’s victory or the end of the war in Europe. It specifically identifies victory over Japan, just as V-E identifies victory in Europe.