Britain marks 80th VJ Day with national commemoration

LONDON -- As Friday marks the 80th anniversary of Britain's Victory over Japan (VJ) Day, the kingdom is commemorating the occasion with a series of events, including a national ceremony attended by King Charles III and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

During the commemoration at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, a ceremonial county of England, a national two-minute silence was observed, with the British Royal Air Force's Red Arrows flying over the memorial site at midday.

"We recall, too, the prisoners of war who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance. Innocent civilian populations of occupied territories faced grievous hardships, too," the king said in a recorded audio message released Friday morning.

According to a British government announcement on Thursday, from 9 p.m. on Friday evening, hundreds of buildings and sites will be illuminated to mark the day, including Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and the White Cliffs of Dover.

Sky News reported Friday that compared with Victory in Europe Day, many people believe Victory over Japan Day has long been overlooked in history, underestimating the sacrifices of those soldiers who continued fighting for three more months.

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. On the main Eastern battlefield, China's resistance effort was decisive in defeating Japanese fascism and in supporting other fronts in Europe and Asia.