Suspected human remains have been recovered at a former Japanese mine where about 180 mostly Korean forced laborers died in a 1942 accident, a Japanese group involved in the search said Tuesday.
Korean divers found three possible limb bones and a skull over the past two days at the site of the Chosei Mine in western Yamaguchi prefecture, according to the civil organization Kizamu Kai.
The bones will be examined by local police to determine if they belong to any victims of the mine collapse 83 years ago. If confirmed, the discovery is expected to speed up efforts to recover the remains of 136 Korean and 47 Japanese workers killed in the accident.
“I was waiting for this day,” Kizamu Kai representative Yoko Inoue said.
The discovery comes shortly after a Tokyo summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, which highlighted cooperation on regional security and trade while downplaying historical tensions.
The Chosei undersea mine began operations in 1914. In February 1942, part of the mine’s ceiling collapsed, flooding the shaft and killing 183 workers. The accident was largely forgotten until 1991, when citizens started investigating to preserve the site and erect a memorial.
Historians note that Japan used hundreds of thousands of Korean laborers during World War II to fill workforce gaps, as many Japanese men were fighting overseas.
Kizamu Kai began undersea searches for victims’ remains last year after years of collecting historical documents and witness accounts. Ishiba, who has recognized Japan’s wartime aggression, approved government consultation with experts on safe recovery methods earlier this year.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed condolences and said authorities are monitoring the police examination. The health and welfare ministry has so far not funded the searches, while Kizamu Kai continues on its own.
Critics say Japan has long been reluctant to address wartime atrocities, including forced labor and sexual abuse of Asian women. The government maintains that all compensation claims were resolved under the 1965 treaty with South Korea.
Despite past tensions, bilateral ties have improved since 2023 under U.S. pressure to enhance security cooperation amid China’s growing regional influence.