Excavation in Taiwan Seeks to Recover WWII Japanese Soldiers’ Remains

In Pingtung, Taiwan, historians and experts gathered on Monday to initiate an excavation intended to find the remains of Japanese soldiers from World War II. The area is tied to an incident in 1944 where a military transport vessel, along with other ships, sank in the Bashi Channel due to attacks from U.S. forces. The tragic event resulted in over 4,700 deaths, while 65 survived, according to historian and activist Kazuko Tachi.

Taiwan was under Japanese rule from 1895 until the end of WWII. Tatsuaki Inoue, speaking for the Japan Association for the Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties, suggested many bodies might have reached the local shore. The excavation in Hengchun Township is to last a week. Discovered remains considered to be Japanese, from which DNA can be extracted, will be repatriated to Japan later.

In 2016, Japan passed a law to hasten the retrieval of war remains, extending the initiative to 2030 with enhanced DNA testing. Official records indicate 41,900 Japanese soldiers died in Taiwan during WWII; 26,300 remains have been recovered, and 15,600 are missing. The last similar effort in Taiwan occurred in 1975, discovering 242 bodies.

“We feel very sorry that we kept them waiting for such a long time,” said Inoue. “But on the other hand, we are very happy that we came to be able to excavate in search of their remains.”

Years of interviews and historical research led historians, residents, and Japanese volunteers to identify potential locations for the bodies. They believe that the remains may lie near a rocky coastal area by Taiwan’s Third Nuclear Power Plant, where they were possibly gathered by local residents.

Japan’s wartime history includes the loss of more than 2.4 million soldiers overseas, with about 1 million remains yet to be recovered. According to Akira Nishimura, a professor of religious studies at the University of Tokyo, the uncertainty surrounding the deaths of loved ones motivates ongoing recovery efforts. Religious organizations and volunteers have significantly contributed by recovering remains and holding memorial services for bereaved families.

In Pingtung, which hosted the latest excavation, two sites commemorate Japan’s war casualties. A monument honors deceased Japanese service members next to Chaoyin Temple. The temple houses a Japanese flag and a statue of the Buddhist Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, symbolizing guidance for departed souls, and bears an inscription calling for global peace.

Beatrice Trefalt, an associate professor of Japanese studies at Monash University, explained the unique nature of Japan’s losses during the war. Many soldiers and sailors perished at sea, rendering their remains unrecovered, which has led to persistent searches in postwar years. Numerous families expect the government to address the sacrifices made by conscripted individuals.

Tachi was moved to engage in these recovery efforts upon learning the fate of soldiers in the Bashi Channel after relocating to Taiwan, underscoring the importance of memorial services for the war dead. “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,” she said.

Associated Press journalists Mayuko Ono and Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report.