Bodies of Japanese WWII soldiers found in cave that was sealed for 70 years

A cave on the Pacific nation of Palau has been opened for the first time in almost 70 years, and it contains the bodies of six Japanese soldiers who fought in World War II.

The cave is one of about 200 on the island of Pelileu. The caves were used when Japanese and U.S. forces fought during the war in September 1944.

A team of experts, mostly Palauans, from the organization Cleared Ground Demining has been clearing WWII remnants from the area for six years so that the site will be safe for anthropologists and archaeologists to explore.

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In addition to the bodies, the site has yielded other relics from the war, including projectiles, hand grenades, and explosives. The cave in Palau was opened to prepare for Japanese emperor Akihito's visit to the region next week.

Australia's ABC News notes that the bodies of 2,600 Japanese troops were never found after the war. The six soldiers' bodies found at the Palau site will be repatriated, and the cave has already been resealed.