King Charles led VJ Day commemorations in the UK as a national service of remembrance and two-minute silence marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in the second world war and the end of the six-year-long conflict.
He was joined by the queen, the prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, and veterans who served in the far east theatres of war as wreaths were laid at the National Memorial Arboretum service in Staffordshire. Powerful testimonies read aloud reminded of the terrible cost of war, while a flypast featured the Red Arrows and historic second world war aircraft, including a Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster bomber.
Guests of honour included 33 veterans aged from 96 to 105. A Royal Navy veteran Alfred Conway watched as his great granddaughter laid a wreath on the Burma railway memorial. George Durrant, who served in the intelligence corps, urged people not to forget the sacrifices made by his comrades.
In an audio message before the national service, King Charles spoke of allied prisoners of war who endured starvation, disease and cruelty, and vowed their service "shall never be forgotten". In what is believed the most direct reference by a British monarch to the suffering in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after their atomic bombings, he said: "We should also pause to acknowledge that in the war’s final act, an immense price was paid by the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a price we pray no nation need ever pay again."
More than 90,000 British troops were casualties in the war against Japan, and nearly 30,000 died, while thousands of Britons were among Commonwealth prisoners of war. The US suffered over 100,000 killed, and in Hiroshima and Nagasaki over 200,000 people were killed by the bombs or later died from radiation sickness and injuries.
In Japan, Emperor Naruhito expressed "deep remorse" while two cabinet ministers visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, angering China and South Korea. China summoned Japan's embassy chief over the visit. Across the UK, hundreds of buildings including Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament were lit up to mark VJ Day.
