Why is VJ Day remembered differently?

The events that finally brought the Second World War to an end across the globe are not commemorated in quite the same way as the end of the war in Europe. This can be attributed in part to the way in which Japan was forced to surrender, but also to the fact that the war in the Far East never received the same level of coverage and therefore attention from the British public as the theatres of conflict in Europe and North Africa. While the war against Nazi Germany posed an immediate, often daily, threat to Britain, events further afield could seem distant, fought against an enemy unfamiliar to many people across Britain, the Commonwealth and the Empire.

Of course, many British, Commonwealth and Empire troops fought and died at the hands of the Japanese Imperial Forces, and the conditions in which they fought and were sometimes held were often brutal. Nonetheless, Britain's relationship with Japan, and Japan's partnership with Nazi Germany, was never discussed to the same extent as that of the other Axis powers.

Combined with the many ethical debates that have emerged since 1945 around the use of the atomic bomb, there has frequently been a reluctance to commemorate Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) in the same way that Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) is remembered and memorialised.

In the years immediately following the Second World War, the Japanese dimension of the conflict continued to be neglected in popular narratives, while Japan itself remained a nation viewed through stereotypes and outdated caricatures. In recent decades, British and Western academics, as well as politicians, have begun to look more closely at Japan, recognising its role as an economic force and an increasingly influential cultural presence.

This shift is important, but a fuller understanding of Japan's place in the modern world depends on a greater appreciation of its history. To mark VJ Day and encourage a deeper understanding of Japan's history, we have brought together two webinars delivered in 2025 as part of the HA's short course on the Second World War.

One webinar examines the role of the warrior tradition, the samurai, and the influence of imperial ideas in Japanese history in the decades leading up to the Second World War. The second explores the important, though often overlooked, economic factors behind Japan's entry into the conflict. Together, they provide valuable insights into a history that remains relevant today.