1942 Yamaguchi underwater mine disaster victims remembered.
A memorial event for the 1942 Ube coal mine disaster was held, honoring 183 victims with hopes for remains recovery.
In Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, a heartfelt memorial event was held to honor the 183 victims of the 1942 underwater coal mine disaster, just ahead of its 83rd anniversary. Around 450 attendees gathered, including bereaved families and officials from South Korea, due to many victims being from the Korean Peninsula. The head of the South Korean bereaved families highlighted the significance of this year, marking the 80th anniversary since the end of World War II, and urged the Japanese government to help retrieve the victims’ remains.
Kang Ho-jeung, South Korea's consul-general in Hiroshima, shared in the grief, reflecting on the 60th anniversary of Japan-South Korea diplomatic relations. The tragic incident occurred on February 3, 1942, when the Chosei coal mine was overwhelmed by an abnormal flood, resulting in the loss of 136 Korean and 47 Japanese lives. Last year, the civic group made significant progress by reopening the mine entrance and beginning underwater surveys for remains, with Yoko Inoue stating, "We are getting closer (to recovering the remains) step by step."
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