May 21, 2025

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on May 20 demanded that the government provide assistance for the efforts to collect the remains of victims of a wartime flooding disaster at an undersea coal mine in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The disaster occurred in 1942 at Chosei Coal Mine in Yamaguchi’s Ube City, killing 183 workers. Of them, 136 were Koreans and most were taken to Japan from the Korean Peninsula as forced laborers. None of the victims’ remains have been recovered.

Koike at a meeting of the House of Councilors Welfare Committee said that at the former coal mine site, a civil group working to commemorate the Chosei Mine tragedy since last year has conducted a diving exploration several times with the aim of recovering the victims’ remains.

Koike noted that Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru in the Diet had said that it is preferable to return what can be recovered of the remains to the bereaved families and had expressed his intent to discuss what kind of support the government should offer. Koike asked, “What kind of support is the government considering?”

Welfare Minister Fukuoka Takamaro replied that the government is considering measures recommended by specialists working on the issue.

Koike said that regarding government support, the civil group calls for setting up a project team composed of experts, and stressed, “The government should accept this demand.” The welfare minister in response only said that the ministry will collect information and consider necessary measures.