Aberystwyth pupils honour wartime prisoners during Japan exchange

Five pupils from Aberystwyth have laid flowers at a wartime memorial in Yosano, Japan, during a school exchange rooted in the peace work of former prisoner of war Frank Evans.

The pupils visited the memorial in Taki, Yosano Town, Kyoto Prefecture, on 26 October 2026. They arrived on 23 October with seven other members of the delegation, including Aberystwyth Mayor Emlyn Jones, according to a Kyoto Shimbun report dated 28 October.

The friendship between the communities grew from Evans’s efforts after the Second World War. He was among the Allied prisoners forced to work at the Oeyama Nickel Mine and later returned to Japan. In 1984, with local support, he established a memorial to comrades who had died.

Historical photograph: Yosano Town.

Reciprocal school exchanges began in 1992, giving young people opportunities to learn about each other’s lives and culture. Kyoto Shimbun reported that this is the 15th group Yosano has hosted through the programme.

At the ceremony, Shigeru Wada, chairman of the local friendship association, said that “this tragic history must never be repeated”, the report said. It also quoted Sian Evans, 18, who said: “I hope we can continue these peaceful exchanges in the future.”

The visit programme runs until 29 October, with exchanges involving pupils at Miyazu Tenkyo High School and Hashidate Junior High School. Visits to local sake breweries and other sites are also planned, according to the report.

Featured image: Pupils lay flowers at the memorial in Taki, Yosano Town. Photograph from Kyoto Shimbun report dated 28 October 2026.