Aberystwyth Mayor, Cllr. Maldwyn Pryse, along with a group of sixth form students from Penweddig and Penglais schools, have travelled to Yosano in Japan to re-establsh a long-standing exchange programme that was started by a former prisoner of war.

Frank Evans was a prisoner of war in Yosano during the Second World War and forced to work in a nickel mine along with others from the camp.

After the war ended, he returned to Ceredigion and set up home in Aberystwyth.

He could not forget his experiences and decided to return to Japan 40 years later in 1985.

He was apprehensive about the return but was greeted by a welcoming party including the Mayor Mr Hosai and Mr Arai, a Buddhist monk and the Managing Director of the Nickel Factory. He was overwhelmed by the greeting he received.

There now stands a memorial to the fallen prisoners in Yosano, all thanks to Frank Evans.

A group from Aberystwyth visits to pay their respects every two years. A group from Yosano visit Aberystwyth on alternate years and visits Mr Evans’s grave in Talybont.

Frank wrote two books about his experience Yn Nwylo’r Nippon in Welsh and Role Call at Oeyama in English – both are available to read at Aberystwyth Library.

The visiting group enjoyed a full itinerary this year, visiting the memorial site as well as learning about the local area and sampling the culture.

The current Mayor of Yosano, Toma Yamazoe, who visited Aberystwyth last year, greeted the group upon arrival at Yosano. This is the first time a Mayor from Aberystwyth has visited Yosano with the group in over 25 years.