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20h ago

Japan’s Sado Mines Memorial Again Omits ‘Forced Labor’ for Koreans

Seoul boycotted the ceremony, citing the unresolved dispute over explicit acknowledgment of coerced mobilization.

This photo taken Sept. 13, 2025, shows Japanese officials holding a memorial ceremony commemorating the workers from the Sado mine complex during World War II, on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, off Japan's west coast. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • The Sept. 13 event on Sado Island referenced workers from the Korean Peninsula but avoided saying they were forced to work.
  • South Korea skipped the service for a second year and plans a separate autumn memorial with victims’ families.
  • Japan was represented by Yukiko Okano, a bureau‑chief‑level official, a step down from last year’s parliamentary vice minister.
  • Japan’s 2024 UNESCO listing pledge included annual memorials and exhibits on the site’s full wartime history, yet the wording on coercion remains contested.
  • Historical accounts cited in reporting say more than 1,500 Koreans were conscripted to the mines during 1940–45, and about 70 people attended this year’s ceremony.