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Joint Statement from the Veterans Commissioners for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

On the occasion of 80th Anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day – 15 August 2025

On this 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day, we honour the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of all who served in the Far East during the Second World War.

Though the last veterans of this campaign are gradually leaving us, their legacy lives on, in our freedoms today and in the generations of service personnel who have followed.

For British and Commonwealth forces, the Far East campaign was marked by early setbacks and extreme conditions, followed by extraordinary determination and eventual victory. The Allied advance, particularly the efforts of the 14th Army in the pivotal battles of Kohima and Imphal in 1944, was instrumental in turning the tide. Often referred to as the “Forgotten Army,” these men and women fought in one of the harshest theatres of the war, too often overshadowed by events in Europe.

In today’s uncertain world, the unity and sacrifice shown in those final stages of the war serve as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved together. We also acknowledge the lasting cost of war, borne not only by those who served but by their families, who endured hardship, loss, and the long echoes of conflict.

We, the Veterans Commissioners for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, pay tribute to those who served in the Far East and to all Second World War veterans. Their legacy continues to inspire and deserves our enduring respect.

Lest we forget.