Heads bowed, experts offered their respects on Monday ahead of an excavation aimed at recovering the remains of Japanese soldiers from World War II in southern Taiwan.
The site is linked to the sinking of a military transport vessel and other ships in the Bashi Channel after they were attacked by U.S. forces in 1944. According to historian Kazuko Tachi, who is also an activist involved in the recovery efforts, more than 4,700 soldiers and crew members died while 65 survived.
Taiwan, a self-governing island claimed by China as its territory, was a Japanese colony from 1895 until the end of the war.
“It is believed that many bodies from the sunken vessel reached this shore,” said Tatsuaki Inoue, representing the Japan Association for the Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties.
The excavation in Hengchun Township is expected to continue for a week. If any remains believed to be Japanese are found and DNA samples can be extracted, they will be sent to Japan during a future mission.
Japan enacted a law in 2016 to accelerate the recovery of war remains, an effort that has been extended through 2030 and includes expanded DNA testing.
Thousands remain missing after WWII
Official Japanese records say about 41,900 soldiers who fought for Japan during WWII died in Taiwan. Around 26,300 bodies have been recovered and 15,600 remain missing.
The last excavation in Taiwan took place in 1975, when 242 bodies were found.
“We feel very sorry that we kept them waiting for such a long time,” Inoue said. “But on the other hand, we are very happy that we came to be able to excavate in search of their remains.”
Historians, residents and Japanese volunteers living in Taiwan spent years conducting interviews and collecting historical records to establish what might have happened to those washed ashore.
They believe the bodies may have been gathered by residents and placed together in a rocky coastal area near the discharge outlet of Taiwan’s Third Nuclear Power Plant, where they may still lie.
Religious groups have played a key role
More than 2.4 million Japanese soldiers died overseas during WWII. The remains of approximately 1 million have yet to be recovered.
In response to public demand, the Japanese government implemented three plans to recover remains between the 1950s and the 1970s, said Akira Nishimura, professor of religious studies at the University of Tokyo.
“For bereaved families who have not received the remains of their loved ones, the lack of certainty regarding where and how their relatives met their end — and the feeling that they were unable to give them a proper sendoff — is likely one of the main reasons why the recovery of remains continues even 80 years later,” Nishimura said.
He added that religious organizations and volunteers have played a key role in recovering remains and holding memorial services, offering comfort to bereaved families while helping preserve the memory of those who never returned.
In Pingtung, where Monday’s excavation began, two sites honor Japan’s war dead.
A monument dedicated to the spirits of Japanese service members who perished stands beside Chaoyin Temple, where an inscription reads: “We pray for the peace of all humanity in the world.”
The temple is dedicated to those who died in the Bashi Channel during the war. Inside stands a Japanese flag beside a statue of the Buddhist Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, who is believed to guide and protect the souls of the departed.
Many Japanese died at sea
Japan’s wartime losses were unusual in that many soldiers and sailors died at sea, leaving their remains unrecovered, said Beatrice Trefalt, associate professor of Japanese studies at Monash University in Australia.
“Because of the enormous amount of uncertainty about who died or not, or how, the search for remains has been a constant in postwar Japanese history,” Trefalt said.
She added that many families believe the government has a responsibility to acknowledge those who were conscripted and died during the conflict.
Tachi learned about the fate of the Japanese soldiers who died in the Bashi Channel only after moving to Taiwan. After locals recounted that history, she decided to get involved in recovering their remains.
“Those Taiwanese uncles taught me the importance of holding a memorial service for the war dead,” Tachi said. “It’s been more than 80 years since the war ended but I believe it is important to pray for the war dead, which I will keep on doing.”
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Hernández reported from Beijing. AP journalists Mayuko Ono and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed.
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