VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day) is most commonly marked on 15 August 1945, the date Japan’s surrender was announced and the Second World War effectively ended in the Pacific.

Key dates for VJ Day

  • 15 August 1945 – In the UK, much of the Commonwealth, and Japan, VJ Day is observed on 15 August, the date Emperor Hirohito’s surrender message was broadcast and celebrations erupted worldwide.
  • 14 August 1945 – In the United States, many people remember 14 August as VJ Day, because news of the surrender reached Americans on that date and sparked the famous Times Square celebrations.
  • 2 September 1945 – Officially in the U.S., VJ Day is tied to 2 September 1945, when Japan signed the formal Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

In short, when someone asks “when was VJ Day,” the usual answer is 15 August 1945, but some countries, especially the United States, also associate it with 14 August (news of surrender) or 2 September (formal surrender signing).