An underwater investigation organized by a Japanese civic group seeks to find the fate of 183 who died in an underwater coal mine off the coast of Japan who drowned during World War II.
The Josei Coal Mine, a dangerous coal mine with underwater tunnels, is located approximately one kilometer offshore from Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. On
February 3, 1942, 183 people, including 136 Koreans and 47 Japanese, drowned in the mine. The flooding started from a leak in the mine tunnels. The remains of the victims were not recovered, and the truth about the incident was not clarified.
A memorial service was held for the victims of the Josei Coal Mine disaster, attended by about 450 people, including bereaved families from Korea and Japan and members of the National Assembly, Segye reported.
On the second day of the investigation, underwater explorer Yoshitaka Isaji reached a point about 265 meters from the mine entrance but did not find any objects presumed to be human remains, "There is a high possibility that remains are deeper inside," said Isaji after the investigation, according to Munhwa.
"If I go beyond 265 meters, there is a possibility that the tunnel ahead has collapsed. In that case, we need to find a side path," explained Isaji, according to Segye.
In April, Korean divers are scheduled to participate in the investigation, according to Maeil Business. The inclusion of Korean divers signifies a collaborative effort between the two countries to recover the remains.
Korean Deputy Minister Kim Min-jae of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of South Korea attended the memorial service, Segye reported. "The Korean government will do its best to ensure that the remains return to their hometown and families as soon as possible," stated Deputy Minister Kim, according to Segye.
"It is practically difficult to conduct the investigation because the burial location and depth are not clear," the Japanese government maintains, Maeil Business noted. "Entering the underwater mine tunnel where the accident occurred over 80 years ago for excavation and investigation raises concerns about safety," stated Takamaro Fukuoka, Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, in the House of Representatives Budget Committee regarding opposition party members' questions.
"The government is doing nothing because the victims are not soldiers or government employees is discriminatory," said Kazuhumi Hamai, a professor at Daito Bunka University, in an interview with Asahi Shimbun, according to Wow TV.
"For the future-oriented relations between the two countries, I hope the Japanese government will recover the remains and return them to their hometown," said Yang Hyun, the chairman of the Korean bereaved families' association, according to Segye.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.