Work has begun to recover the remains of Japanese soldiers at a mass burial site on Palau's Peleliu Island, a fierce battleground in the Pacific during World War Two. The remains of more than 1,000 Japanese soldiers are believed to be buried at the site.



Japan's now-defunct Imperial military and US forces fought a bloody battle on the island in 1944. More than 10,000 Japanese died.



On Friday, 23 people, including officials from the Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties, began a full-scale search for remains at the mass burial site. The association, which was commissioned by the Japanese government, plans to continue the work until May 24.



Japan's welfare ministry determined the location of the mass burial site last year. Maps and documents found about a decade ago show that 1,086 Japanese soldiers were buried there by US troops. The remains of 19 people were discovered at the site during last year's search.



Japan's welfare minister Fukuoka Takamaro visited the island earlier this month and announced plans to intensify recovery efforts. Palau's government offered its full cooperation.



The Japanese ministry hopes the recovery of the remains buried at the site will be mostly completed by around the end of fiscal 2027.