V-J Day is the common United States name for the day Japan’s surrender was announced in 1945. The abbreviation means “Victory over Japan.”
In the United States, V-J Day is generally observed as August 14 or August 15, depending on time zone and the date of President Harry Truman’s announcement. Japan’s emperor had announced acceptance of the Allied terms on August 15 Japan time, which was August 14 in parts of North America.
The term parallels V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, which marked Germany’s surrender in May 1945. V-J Day therefore identifies victory in the Pacific theater rather than the end of the war in Europe.
The official surrender ceremony occurred on September 2 aboard USS Missouri. That date is also commemorated as V-J Day in some countries, so usage differs by place and historical tradition.