A tour of the wreckage of a famed Japanese warship found under the Philippine Sea was broadcast live on 13 March by a team of researchers commissioned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

The team found the wreckage of the Japanese warship Musashi, one of the largest battleships ever built, underneath the Sibuyan Sea in the central Philippines on 2 March.

New footage showed various parts of the Japanese warship, including the remains of its bridge, control room and its turrets.

The team used an unmanned underwater vehicle fitted inside Allen's Yacht, the M/Y Octopus, to take footage of the wreckage found more than one kilometre deep underwater.

Yanik Olsen, the exploration team's captain, said their discovery was meant to educate.

"It makes us proud to be a part of this. we are conveying something to the world which is significant, and also teaches the world about the past and what happened. Overall, it's been an incredible experience for the whole crew," he said.

US aircraft sunk the Musashi on 24 October 1944, killing more than 1,000 Japanese, or about half the vessel's crew.

The Musashi, which was named after a province in Japan, was commissioned in August 1942. The Musashi and its sister ship, the Yamato, were considered the heaviest and most heavily armed battleships ever built. It weighed nearly 73,000 tons when fully loaded and had nine 46cm Type 94 main guns, along with aircraft and other features.

It was sunk in the lead-up to the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history, pitting American and Australian forces against the Japanese.

The Philippines has yet to confirm the discovery, but said it was in contact with relevant agencies involved.

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