Address Japan, 〒836-0875 Fukuoka Prefecture, Omuta, 宮原町１丁目８６−３ Similar Ōmuta Station, Nirayama reverberatory furnace, MieTsu Navy office trace, Arao Station, Sekitan Memorial Park | ||
Around omuta city japan s modern industrial heritage sites of meiji period
Miike coal mine (三池炭鉱, Miike Tankō), also known as the Mitsui Miike Coal Mine (三井三池炭鉱, Mitsui Miike Tankō), was the largest coal mine in Japan, located in the area of Ōmuta, Fukuoka and Arao, Kumamoto, Japan.
Contents
old locomotive of miike coal mine again
History
Mining began in the region during the Kyoho era, with the Miike mine under the control of the Tachibana clan.
The mine was nationalised in 1872 by the Meiji government. The Mitsui zaibatsu took control in 1899.
The mine closed in 1997, with devastating effects on the local economy.
Labour dispute
From 1960 to 1962 the mine was involved in a much-reported labor dispute which divided the workers and involved violent strike-breaking actions.
Incidents
In 1963 an explosion resulted in the deaths of 458 people, 438 of whom died from carbon monoxide poisoning. On January 18th, 1984, an explosion at the mine claimed the lives of 83 workers.
Legacy
The Miike mine was the subject of a Japanese documentary, Echoes from the Miike Mine (2006), directed by Hiroko Kumagai.