Japan omits forced labor acknowledgment at Sado mine memorial ceremony

TOKYO, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- Japan again stopped short of acknowledging the forced nature of Korean labor during a ceremony Saturday commemorating victims of a World War II-era mine complex in the country.

The annual ceremony was first held in 2024 as a fulfillment of Japan's pledge when the Sado mine in Niigata Prefecture was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2024.

Hamamoto Yukiya, director-general for cultural affairs at Japan's foreign ministry, attended the ceremony in his capacity as a government representative, along with about 70 other participants.

"Workers from the Korean Peninsula engaged in arduous labor in dangerous and harsh conditions inside the mine during the war," Hamamoto was quoted as saying by Japan's Kyodo News. "Sadly, some people lost their lives here."

However, his remarks were largely similar to those made at the two previous ceremonies and made no mention of the forced nature of Korean labor at the time.

South Korea boycotted the event for the third consecutive year, saying no agreement was reached with Japan on Seoul's demands that the ceremony acknowledge that Korean workers were mobilized against their will.

On Wednesday, Seoul's foreign ministry said it would hold its own ceremony later this year, urging Japan to "fully and faithfully implement" the recommendations set out in a decision adopted by the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee.

In July, the World Heritage Committee adopted a decision calling on Japan to adequately reflect the "whole history" of the Sado mine, noting the need for "further clarification" on its interpretation and presentation strategy, and facilities "throughout all periods of mining exploitation."

The "whole history" includes the period during which more than 1,500 Koreans were mobilized to work at the mine during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, Seoul officials said. Once known for its gold production, the complex was later used to produce war supplies for the Japanese imperial army during World War II.