The August 15, 1945 announcement of Japan’s surrender is commonly called V-J Day.
“V-J” means “Victory over Japan.” The name refers to Emperor Hirohito’s radio announcement that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration and would end the war. In many countries, August 15 is therefore remembered as the day Japan’s surrender was announced.
The term can also refer to September 2, 1945, when Japanese representatives formally signed the surrender document aboard USS Missouri. This difference explains why historical sources sometimes give two V-J Day dates. August 15 marks the public announcement, while September 2 marks the legal and ceremonial surrender.
V-J Day followed V-E Day, the Allied victory in Europe announced after Nazi Germany’s surrender in May 1945. The two labels helped distinguish the European and Pacific ends of World War II.
The expression remains widely used in historical writing, memorial events, and discussions of the final stage of the Pacific War.