What does “V-J” stand for in Victory over Japan Day, the 1945 end-of-war observance?

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

The abbreviation follows the pattern of V-E Day, meaning Victory in Europe, which marked Nazi Germany’s surrender in May 1945. Allied governments and newspapers used V-J Day for Japan’s defeat and surrender in the Pacific War. The wording identifies Japan as the defeated Axis power rather than naming a particular ceremony.

The date associated with V-J Day can be confusing. Japan announced its acceptance of the Allied surrender terms on August 15, 1945, in Japan, while the announcement was heard on August 14 in much of the Americas because of time-zone differences. The formal surrender ceremony took place later, on September 2, aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

V-J Day therefore refers both to the public announcement and, in some contexts, to the formal end of hostilities. V-P Day, or Victory in the Pacific Day, is another name used especially in Commonwealth countries.