16 Feb 2015

Signs of Japan war graves emerge in Palau

3:55 pm on 16 February 2015

Documents showing the existence of a mass grave in Palau for Japanese soldiers have been found at the US Navy Seabee Museum in California.

The cemetery for Japanese is highly likely to have been established by the US military on the island of Peleliu, where about 10,200 Japanese soldiers died in a fierce battle with U.S. troops during World War II.

The Chicago Tribune reports that discovery of the documents may facilitate efforts to collect the remains of around 2,600 Japanese soldiers yet to be found in Palau.

While some bereaved families of the Japanese war dead have referred to the possibility of the cemetery's existence, this is the first confirmation of documents indicating the cemetery's location.

The Japanese government intends to seek the Palau government's cooperation in locating the cemetery.