The Japanese government's search for the remains of soldiers who died in World War Two has brought new results.

Officials say they've found a human bone fragment in a battle tank unearthed on Peleliu. The Pacific island witnessed fierce fighting between US forces and the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Army in 1944.

The death toll on the Japan side topped 10,000. The government has already collected the remains of about 7,800 troops, but the search continues for others.

The health ministry has commissioned the work to the Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties. The group began excavations in September, and found the bone three months later.

Officials say it's part of a leg, and measures about 30 centimeters long. They say it's highly likely to be from a Japanese soldier, and are now considering a DNA analysis.

The group has also found bone fragments in another tank, but they are in poor condition due to fire damage. Officials say DNA testing will be difficult.

The team plans to conduct more excavations on other buried tanks.

The group says the discovery of the bone in tanks will lead to the possibility that there are still bones left behind that can help identify the war dead.