Japanese researcher reveals 'massacre' of Koreans in Mili Atoll

Yasuto Takeuchi stresses the need for the truth behind the massacre of Koreans by the Japanese military on the Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands in 1945. (Newsis)

Calls for the truth behind the massacre of Koreans by the Japanese military on the Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands in 1945 resurfaced Friday, coming from a Japanese modern history researcher and an organization dedicated to uncovering the history behind forced labor victims during the Japanese occupation.

Referring to the "Mili Atoll massacre," historical researcher Yasuto Takeuchi stressed the need for truth and accountability, describing the case as an act that "forcibly mobilized people, stripped them of their ethnicity and placed them on the front lines of war."

At the end of the Asia-Pacific War, Koreans forcibly taken to the southeastern tip of the Marshall Islands were massacred for their collective resistance against Japanese atrocities.

Fifty-five Koreans died, of which 32 were killed by firing squad and 23 by suicide, according to Takeuchi, based on the naval military personnel research. There were 95 survivors.

"It has been 80 years since this history of pushing victims to the brink of death, forcing them to eat human flesh and massacring them was covered up," said Takeuchi. "Now, no one is held accountable, and the truth is unknown."

"If the damage and truth of the war are not clearly identified and made known to people, history is bound to repeat itself," he added.

The history researcher demanded the revelation of the victims' real names and the reasons for their recruitment to the Mili Atoll. He also called to restore the victims' honor through memorials and commemorations to ensure that history is recorded and remembered accurately.

During the Asia-Pacific War, Japan forcibly mobilized Koreans as army civilian employees to the Mili Atoll in the Mid-Pacific. In 1942, about 800 to 1,000 Koreans were mobilized, primarily for the construction and repair of an airfield on Mili Island.

However, when the war situation worsened and supplies were cut off after June 1944, the Mili Atoll faced a severe food shortage.

According to earlier testimonies revealed in 2010, in early 1945, Japanese soldiers distributed human flesh from the killing of two Koreans under the guise of "whale meat."

Upon learning of the incident, the Koreans killed 11 Japanese guards and planned their escape. However, their plan was discovered shortly after, leading to the Japanese Army slaughtering numerous Koreans involved in the escape attempt.

By Choi Jeong-yoon(jychoi@heraldcorp.com)