Countries on both sides of the Pacific marked Friday’s 80th anniversary of Japan’s 15 August 1945 surrender that ended World War II. U.S. lawmakers released statements honouring service members who fought in the Pacific theatre and reaffirmed support for the post-war security order that grew out of the conflict. China, which Xinhua described as the main East Asian battlefield, recalled the estimated 35 million Chinese casualties sustained during 14 years of resistance to Japanese occupation. Beijing characterised the anniversary as evidence of China’s “indelible contribution” to what it calls the World Anti-Fascist War. In Hong Kong, local media reported that a group of elderly residents still hold Japanese military yen—occupation-era notes now rendered worthless—and continue to press Tokyo to redeem the currency for Hong Kong dollars. The claims highlight the lingering unresolved financial and historical issues that persist eight decades after the war’s end.