The vault under the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima was shown to members of the media on Wednesday.
The ashes of about 70,000 victims of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city in August 1945 in the closing days of World War II are inside the vault. Of them, those of 812 people are unclaimed, although their names have been identified.
With this year marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, the city opened the vault for the first time in 10 years so that bereaved relatives will be found for as many remains as possible.
Every year, the Hiroshima city government sends the list of ashes to local governments across the country. Last month, for the first time in two years, a bereaved relative of one of the unclaimed victims was found. So far, bereaved relatives have been found for the remains of 1,625 victims.
"We hope as many people as possible will know about the existence of the memorial mound and renew their feelings of consolation for the souls of the atomic bomb victims," a city official said.
The memorial mound was built in 1955. Unclaimed remains from various places are stored with name tags on shelves inside the vault. The ashes of unknown individuals rest in wooden boxes.
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