What was the official name adopted by Japan in 1982 for its August 15 memorial of the war’s end?

Japan adopted “Day for Mourning of War Dead and Praying for Peace” as the official name for its August 15 memorial in 1982.

August 15 is commonly called the day marking the end of the war in Japan, but the government’s formal wording emphasizes mourning and peace rather than victory. The name reflects remembrance of military and civilian deaths and a public commitment to avoiding another war.

The date marks the broadcast of Hirohito’s surrender announcement in Japan. It is not the same event as the formal signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945. Different countries therefore use different dates and names when commemorating Japan’s defeat.

In the United Kingdom, August 15 is commonly treated as V-J Day, while the United States officially designated September 2 in 1945. The distinction between announcement, commemoration, and legal surrender is a frequent source of confusion in accounts of the war’s end.