Japan Ignores 'Korean Forced Labor' at Sado Mine Memorial Ceremony for Third Year

Japanese Government Expresses "Condolences for Exhausting Labor"

South Korean Government Boycotts for Third Consecutive Year

The Japanese government held a 'Sado Mine Memorial Ceremony' near Sado Mine in Niigata Prefecture—an infamous site of forced labor involving Koreans during Japan's colonial rule—on September 12. However, this year’s event once again failed to mention the forced nature of the Korean laborers’ exploitation.

Yonhap News Agency

Hamamoto Yukiya, Director for International Cultural Exchanges at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended the ceremony at the Sado City Community Center as the government representative. In his address, he stated, “Workers from the Korean Peninsula engaged in exhausting work in the dangerous and harsh environment of the tunnels during the war,” adding, “Regrettably, some lost their lives here.” However, his remarks were almost identical to those made in the past two years and did not include any reference to the compulsory nature of Korean labor at the time.

The memorial ceremony was organized by an executive committee comprising Niigata Prefecture, Sado City, and local civic groups. About 70 people attended the event, offering chrysanthemums and observing a moment of silence for the victims.

Since Sado Mine was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, the Japanese government has, for three consecutive years, failed to acknowledge the coercion behind the Korean labor at this site. The memorial ceremony itself was a commitment made in July 2024 as Japan sought cooperation from Korea during the process of pushing for the mine's World Heritage designation.

Earlier, on September 9, the South Korean government announced that, “We have continued sincere consultations with the Japanese side to ensure this year’s memorial ceremony could be properly held, but were unable to reach mutual agreement on key issues,” and declared its intention not to participate in the event.

While Sado Mine was renowned as a goldmine during the Edo period (1603–1867), it was repurposed for war material production during the intensified Pacific War. From 1940 to 1945, as many as 1,519 Koreans from the occupied territories were forcibly mobilized and endured harsh working conditions and discrimination.

Sado Mine was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in July 2024. At that time, the South Korean government demanded the inclusion of the “full history”—including forced labor—which Japan agreed to. However, criticism has persisted that the facts of forced labor are still insufficiently represented.

The decision document adopted at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Busan in July, also noted, “There has been some progress, but it is not sufficient,” in regard to Japan’s efforts to reflect the full history and implement an exhibition strategy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.