Tokyo, Oct. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese and South Korean governments have been unable to identify five sets of remains found at an undersea mine in western Japan where a fatal flooding accident occurred during World War II, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Friday. The accident took place at the Chosei coal mine in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Feb. 3, 1942, killing 136 people from the Korean Peninsula and 47 Japanese nationals. DNA analysis conducted separately by the two governments showed that the five sets belonged to two men, but neither could be linked to any bereaved family members. According to the ministry, four of the five sets of remains found in August last year belong to the same individual, while the fifth set discovered in February this year belong to another man. The Japanese side compared the DNA with samples provided by 34 bereaved family members, while the South Korean side examined samples from 98 bereaved family members. At a meeting in January, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung reaffirmed the two countries’ cooperation in the identification process. If additional remains are discovered, the Japanese government plans to continue working with the South Korean side to identify them. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
