Japan Identifies Individuals Who Died in Detention
Overview
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has been comparing lists of people who died in detention provided by the Government of the Russian Federation and others since 1991 with Japanese records. In August 2026, it newly identified 9 people from the Siberian region and 2 from the Mongolian region, for a total of 11 people, and will add their names in kanji and prefectural places of origin to its website. The cumulative number of identified individuals is 41,249 in the Siberian and Mongolian regions and 1,057 in other regions.
Key points
- In August 2026, 11 additional people who died in detention were identified.
- The identified individuals' names in kanji and prefectural places of origin will be added to the website.
- The cumulative number of identified individuals in the Siberian and Mongolian regions is 41,249 people.
- Names and other information are published so that bereaved families can confirm the circumstances of their relatives' deaths.
Overview
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has been identifying individuals by comparing lists of people who died in detention provided by the Government of the Russian Federation and others since 1991 with Japanese records.
As a result of the comparison conducted in August 2026, 9 individuals from the Siberian region and 2 from the Mongolian region, for a total of 11 individuals, were newly identified.
Impact
The additional publication enables bereaved families to confirm the circumstances of their relatives' deaths. The publication of names, dates of death, and other information on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website has been carried out since March 2007.
Details
The information to be added consists of the names in kanji and prefectural places of origin of the 9 people from the Siberian region and 2 people from the Mongolian region identified this time.
The individuals identified to date comprise 39,701 people from the Siberian region, 1,548 from the Mongolian region, 41,249 from both regions combined, and 1,057 from other regions.
The provided materials include lists, medical documents such as ward diaries and medical charts, and documents such as death certificates and burial certificates; some materials overlap.