FORMER prisoners-of-war of the Japanese have effectively vetoed any representation by Japan at ceremonies in Britain this year to mark the 50th anniversary of war's end in the Pacific. Ministry of Defence officials admit they have put the survivors' feelings first in arranging the ceremonies for August. They will be in marked contrast to May's Victory in Europe ceremonies in London's Hyde Park to which German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Italy's Prime Minister will be invited. Japan's ambassador to London will be invited to the VE-Day event but not to the August tributes. Announcing the plans, Prime Minister John Major, aware some veterans' organisations thought the D-Day celebrations last year were too trivial, said all nations which took part in the war had been consulted about protocol for the celebrations and Japan was 'content' with the arrangements. But a senior ministry source said plans to involve the Japanese more fully on VE-Day had been shelved because of threats from veterans groups. Sir Bernard Chacksfield, chairman of the Burma Star Association of veterans said: 'Of 300,000 prisoners-of-war in the Far East, 100,000 died at the hands of the Japanese. 'I am hoping to get 10,000 of our members on parade on August 19, but I know that if a Japanese contingent was present, not a single man would have turned out.'
