What term names the day commemorating Japan’s defeat and surrender in World War II?

Victory over Japan Day is the term for the day commemorating Japan’s defeat and surrender in World War II.

The name is commonly shortened to V-J Day. It refers to the end of the war against Japan, but different countries connect the observance to different dates. Japan announced acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration on 15 August 1945, while the formal surrender was signed aboard USS Missouri on 2 September.

In the United States, President Harry Truman announced Japan’s surrender on 14 August because the news arrived there before midnight local time. The United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries generally observe 15 August. The United States also used 2 September for the formal V-J Day observance.

V-J Day is paired conceptually with V-E Day, which marked Germany’s surrender in Europe. The two terms distinguish the end of the European and Pacific theaters of World War II, even though the global conflict ended only after Japan’s formal surrender.