[News Today] UKISHIMA PASSENGER LIST SHARED

[LEAD]
Shortly after liberation in 1945, a Japanese vessel carrying thousands of returning Koreans sank tragically. Known as the 'Ukishima Maru' incident, Japanese government had ignored or had no intention to look into the case. Now, 79 years later, they shared parts of the passenger list with Korea.

[REPORT]
As Japan fell at the end of World War Two, thousands of forced Korean laborers headed home on board the Japanese naval vessel, the Ukishima Maru.

But for unknown reasons, the vessel exploded and sank near Kyoto just two days after departure.

But Japan did not properly salvage the ship or the passengers' remains and to this day, the scale of damage and why it sank in the first place remains unclear.

Then resident near accident site / (April 2023)
People came running into the classroom stunned by the sound of explosion. But no story was published in the newspaper.

Bereaved families have been requesting a passengers list to confirm their loved ones' deaths but Japan insisted the list was lost when the ship sank.

However this year, 79 years since the incident, the existence of a registry of those who were on board has come to light thanks to requests made by Japanese journalists and opposition lawmakers.

Keiji Kokuta / Japanese Communist Party (Aug. 7)
The list has been submitted today. I believe it's very valuable content.

And on Thursday, Japan submitted 19 documents to the Korean government including lists of those on board and who were shipwrecked.

It's the first time Tokyo has provided any list, albeit partial, related to the Ukishima incident.

The documents will be used in fact-finding and resumed damage deliberations for victims' families whose losses could not be acknowledged due to lack of evidential material.

Han Young-yong / Chair, Ukishima incident families association
We went to court for the list but Japan denied it existed. They should apologize for the lie, not just hand the records.

Japan said it will continue to provide more data but did not remark on its past denial of the existence of such records.