What does “V-J” stand for in V-J Day, the 1945 celebration of Japan’s defeat?

“V-J” in V-J Day stands for “Victory over Japan.” The abbreviation named the Allied victory over Imperial Japan at the end of World War II.

The term was modeled on V-E Day, meaning Victory in Europe Day, which marked Germany’s surrender in May 1945. Newspapers and governments also used related terms such as Victory in the Pacific, or V-P Day, especially in Australia and other parts of the British Commonwealth.

V-J Day can refer to more than one date because the surrender unfolded in stages. Japan’s acceptance was announced on August 15 in Japan and August 14 in much of the Americas because of time-zone differences. The formal surrender document was signed on September 2, 1945, and the United States officially recognized that date as V-J Day.

The distinction matters because the announcement ended Japan’s resistance politically, while the September ceremony formally ended hostilities with the Allied powers. The phrase therefore describes both the victory and the historical commemorations associated with it.