Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima: Japanese authorities uncovered two mass graves that may hold the remains of as many as 2,000 Japanese soldiers on the island of Iwo Jima, site of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II.

So far, the searchers have found 51 sets of human remains in two locations, according to The Associated Press and the Kyodo News service. The locations were listed in U.S. records as enemy cemeteries.

More than 6,500 Americans and 21,570 Japanese died in the 1945 battle for Iwo Jima. The Allies targeted the island as a location to launch raids on Tokyo and Japan's main islands.

The battle became one of the icons of the war when U.S. Marines were photographed raising the American flag there.

More than 10,000 Japanese soldiers are still listed as missing, presumed dead from the battle. Remains are regularly found on the island, but never in such large quantities.

Today, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are the only full-time occupants of the island.

Iwo Jima