Divers on 26 August recovered what appear to be a human skull and three limb bones from the submerged Chosei coal mine off Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, where a shaft collapse and flooding in February 1942 killed 183 workers, including 136 Korean forced labourers. The bones were retrieved during the sixth underwater survey organised by the civil group Kizamu Kai and have been handed to Yamaguchi Prefectural Police for forensic testing. The discovery follows the retrieval of other bone fragments and personal effects a day earlier and is the first time a skull believed to belong to a victim has been brought to the surface. Kizamu Kai, which has investigated the site since the early 1990s and finances dives through crowdfunding, says more remains were sighted in the main tunnel about 43 metres below sea level and plans further searches. Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Fukuoka offered condolences but told reporters that the government has gained no new safety insights and is “not considering financial support at this stage.” The group and relatives of the dead argue that official involvement is necessary to identify victims through DNA analysis and return remains to families in Japan and South Korea. The find comes days after a Tokyo summit between Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, which highlighted warming bilateral ties while sidestepping unresolved wartime labour issues. Confirmation of the bones’ provenance could intensify pressure on Tokyo to address a long‐neglected chapter of its wartime history.