Memorial Service Held for War Dead in Philippines to Mark 80th Anniversary of End of World War II

By Shumpei Takeuchi / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

6:00 JST, August 17, 2025

HANOI — A memorial service was held to remember the war dead of both Japan and the Philippines at the Japanese Memorial Garden in Caliraya, Laguna Province, northern Philippines, on Friday, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The Philippines was a fierce battleground between Japan and the United States during the war. About 520,000 Japanese died, and more than 1 million Filipinos were caught up in the fighting and lost their lives.

About 260 people, including family members of the war dead and representatives of the Philippine government, attended Friday’s ceremony.

Following the singing of the national anthems of both countries, the attendees prayed for peace while observing a moment of silence and offering flowers.

Messages from the leaders of both countries were read on their behalf.

“The Filipino people were forced to suffer immense casualties,” the message by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba read.

“Building upon the legacy of our predecessors, we are committed to elevating our cooperation with the Philippines to even greater heights across a broad spectrum of fields,” Ishiba’s message read.

In his message, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed “our total rejection of war, and our pursuit of lasting friendships.”