V-J Day means “Victory over Japan” and names the 1945 celebration of Japan’s defeat.
The abbreviation was modeled on V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, which marked Nazi Germany’s surrender in May 1945. V-J Day referred to the end of the war against Japan and the conclusion of World War II after Japan accepted the Allied terms.
The term is used for more than one date. In the United States, V-J Day commonly refers to August 14 or 15, 1945, when news of Japan’s acceptance reached the public. September 2, the date of the formal signing aboard USS Missouri, is also called V-J Day in some historical contexts.
Different time zones help explain the two August dates: the announcement occurred on August 15 in Japan but was reported as August 14 in parts of the United States. The formal surrender date is less ambiguous and is widely recognized as September 2.
V-J Day is not the same as V-E Day. V-E Day marked Germany’s surrender in Europe, while V-J Day marked Japan’s surrender in the Pacific theater.