Japan again makes no mention of Koreans' forced labor at Sado memorial event

Japan again omitted any explicit acknowledgment of forced Korean labor at a Saturday ceremony for victims of the Sado mine in Niigata Prefecture. Korea boycotted the event for the third consecutive year after saying no agreement was reached on its demand for such wording. Seoul said it would hold its own ceremony later this year and urged Japan to fully implement World Heritage Committee recommendations.

The annual ceremony was first held in 2024 after Japan pledged to hold it when the Sado mine was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2024.

Hamamoto Yukiya, the Japanese foreign ministry’s director-general for cultural affairs, attended as a government representative with about 70 other participants.

Korea said it boycotted the event for the third consecutive year because Japan did not agree to acknowledge that Korean workers were mobilized against their will.

The World Heritage Committee in July called on Japan to reflect the whole history of the Sado mine and asked for further clarification of its interpretation and presentation strategy.

Seoul said the whole history includes the period when more than 1,500 Koreans were mobilized to work at the mine during Japan’s 1910 to 1945 colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula.

Published Sep 12, 2026 6:49 pm KST

Participants attend a memorial ceremony commemorating the workers from the Sado mine complex during World War II on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, off Japan's west coast, Sept. 13, 2025. 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.

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.

在周六于新潟县佐渡矿难遇难者纪念仪式上，日本再次未明确提及强征韩国劳工一事。韩国连续第三年抵制此次活动，称双方未能就其提出的相关措辞达成一致。首尔方面表示，将于今年晚些时候举行自己的纪念仪式，并敦促日本全面落实世界遗产委员会的建议。

2024年，日本承诺在佐渡矿山于2024年7月被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录后举办年度颁奖典礼，此后该典礼首次举行。

日本外务省文化局局长滨本幸也作为政府代表出席了会议，另有约 70 名其他参与者。

韩国表示，由于日本不承认韩国工人是被迫动员起来的，因此连续第三年抵制该活动。

世界遗产委员会在7月呼吁日本反映佐渡矿山的完整历史，并要求进一步澄清其诠释和展示策略。

首尔方面表示，整个历史包括日本在 1910 年至 1945 年殖民统治朝鲜半岛期间，有超过 1500 名韩国人被动员到该矿工作。

发布于2026年9月12日 下午6:49（韩国标准时间）

2025年9月13日，在日本西海岸新潟县佐渡岛，人们参加纪念二战期间佐渡矿区工人的纪念仪式。（韩联社）

周六，在日本举行的纪念二战时期矿难受害者的仪式上，日本再次回避承认韩国劳工的强迫性质。

这项年度仪式于 2024 年首次举行，是为了履行日本的承诺。2024 年 7 月，新潟县佐渡矿山被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录。

日本外务省文化局局长滨本幸也以政府代表的身份出席了仪式，其他约70名参与者也出席了仪式。

据日本共同社报道，滨本表示：“战争期间，来自朝鲜半岛的工人们在矿井内从事艰苦的劳动，工作环境危险恶劣。令人悲痛的是，有些人在这里失去了生命。”

然而，他的讲话与前两次仪式上的讲话大体相似，并未提及当时韩国劳工的强迫性质。

韩国连续第三年抵制该活动，称首尔方面要求仪式承认韩国工人是被迫动员起来的，但双方未能就此达成协议。

周三，首尔外交部表示，将在今年晚些时候举行自己的仪式，敦促日本“全面忠实地执行”世界遗产委员会第48届会议通过的决定中所提出的建议。

7 月，世界遗产委员会通过一项决定，呼吁日本充分反映佐渡矿山的“完整历史”，并指出需要“进一步澄清”其解释和展示策略，以及“在采矿开发的所有时期”的设施。

首尔官员表示，所谓的“完整历史”包括日本在1910年至1945年殖民统治朝鲜半岛期间，征召1500多名韩国人到该矿工作的历史时期。该矿区曾以黄金生产而闻名，二战期间则被用于为日本皇军生产军需品。