**Memories of Coal Mines: The Glory and Shadow of Mitsui Kofuku and Miike Coal Mines**.

**Memories of Coal Mines: The Glory and Shadow of Mitsui Kofuku and Miike Coal Mines**.

Under the leadership of Mitsui Kofuku, the Miike Coal Mine developed into one of the largest coal supply centers in Japan and supported the modernization of Japan. However, the Miike coal mine faced many problems, including harsh working conditions, forced labor during the war, land subsidence, and damage from coal dust. 1959 Miike dispute attracted nationwide attention when Tatsuo Otsuka and Inajiro Asanuma appealed for workers' rights. 1960s onward, with the energy shift to oil, the Miike coal mine lost its importance, The mine closed in 1997. Today, the Miyahara and Manda Mines are registered as a World Heritage site and are preserved as a place to face the past and pass on lessons learned. The history of the mine, both glorious and shadowy, continues to question what sacrifices were made to achieve Japan's modernization.