Korean Laborers' Remains Found at Japan's Wartime Mine

Tokyo, Aug 26 (AP) - Human remains, most likely of Korean forced laborers, have been discovered at an undersea wartime mine in western Japan, where a tragic accident occurred in 1942 leading to the deaths of approximately 180 individuals. This revelation comes from a Japanese civil organization, Kizamu Kai, which is committed to locating and preserving the remains of these victims.

In the last two days, a team of Korean divers uncovered three possible limb bones and a skull at the Chosei Mine site in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The remains have been handed over to local law enforcement for examination to verify if they indeed belong to the mine's casualties from 83 years ago.

Confirmation of these findings is likely to expedite ongoing efforts to recover the remains of the 136 Korean forced laborers and 47 Japanese workers who perished in the mine collapse.

"I was waiting for this day," expressed Yoko Inoue, a representative of the group.

This discovery follows a recent summit in Tokyo between Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. The leaders aimed to reinforce friendly relations, focusing on regional security and trade, while carefully navigating historical disputes.

The Chosei undersea mine commenced operations in 1914, but suffered a catastrophic accident in February 1942 when a ceiling collapse caused flooding, resulting in the deaths of 183 workers.

The incident remained largely forgotten until 1991, when civic activists began investigating, initially with the aim of erecting a memorial and conserving the mine's remains.

Historians cite that Japan conscripted hundreds of thousands of Korean laborers before and during World War II to offset manpower shortages due to military conscription of Japanese men.

Following years of gathering eyewitness accounts and historical records, Kizamu Kai initiated undersea searches for the victims' remains last year.

Prime Minister Ishiba, who has acknowledged Japan's wartime conduct and shown empathy towards victims, indicated earlier this year that the government would consult experts to ensure the safety of continuing such searches.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed condolences to all victims involved in the mine disaster, affirming that the government is monitoring the police examination results. However, he mentioned a lack of official expertise concerning the safety of undersea searches.

Kizamu Kai has independently progressed with the recovery missions. Meanwhile, Japan's health and welfare ministry, responsible for handling wartime remains, has so far shown reluctance to allocate funds for these searches.

Critics argue that the Japanese government remains hesitant to acknowledge wartime atrocities, including the forced labor of Koreans and the plight of "comfort women"—women systematically abused during the war.

Japan maintains that the 1965 normalization treaty resolved all compensation issues with South Korea. Nonetheless, demands for reparation stemming from Japan's colonial period continue to cause diplomatic friction. As of 2023, relations have been on the mend, influenced by Washington's insistence on resolving conflicts hindering vital security alliances amidst growing regional tensions with China. (AP) SCY.

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