On November 9, 1963, a devastating coal dust explosion at the Mitsui Miike mine in Ōmuta, Fukuoka, Japan, resulted in the deaths of 458 miners, making it one of the worst mining disasters in Japan's history. The explosion was caused by a build-up of flammable coal dust and highlighted the dangerous working conditions in the mining industry. This tragedy prompted calls for improved safety measures and regulations to protect miners in Japan and around the world.

The Mitsui Miike Coal Mine Disaster of 1963 is reflected in Japanese postwar labor literature, with authors like Kenzaburo Oe addressing the struggles of workers and the socio-economic impacts of industrial accidents in their poignant narratives.