Two elderly men found in a jungle in the Philippines are claiming to be Japanese soldiers living in hiding since World War Two. The pair, now in their 80s, were found on the southern island of Mindanao, which was invaded by Japan in 1941. The two men are believed to be Yoshio Yamakawa, 87, and Tsuzuki Nakauchi, 83.
They said they had wanted to return to Japan but were afraid of receiving a court martial. They recently contacted a Japanese man who was in the area searching for the remains of World War Two soldiers. Japanese officials are now checking their identities.
The Philippines was the scene of heavy fighting at the end of the war as Japanese soldiers with fierce loyalty to the emperor fought US troops. The last known Japanese straggler from the war was found in 1975 in Indonesia. In 1974, former army intelligence officer Hiroo Onoda was found living in the jungle on the Philippine island of Lubang. He was completely unaware of Japan's defeat in 1945.
Source: Sky News
