Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution recommeded as a World Heritage Site
ICOMOS, the official advisory panel of UNESCO, reccommeded some sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial revolution as a world heritage site to UNESCO on this May 4th. (http://whc.unesco.org/)
The recommended candidate consists of 23 facilities in 8 prefecturessuch as nagasaki and Fukuoka, mainly southwestern parts in Japan in total. They all represent the rapidly developped processes of the heavy industry at the turning point of Japan from the pre-modern to the modern society about 150 years ago in the Meiji era, explains the japanese government. For example, Gunkan jima island in Nagasaki pref. which worked as a plant island including schools, residents of factory workers and their families as if it were an independent city on the sea 40~50 years ago is one of those symbolic facilities. Now those places and areas are so popular and not only Japanese but foreigners visit to know about Japanese historical and societal changes. The candidate will be on the item list and examned at the upcoming UNESCO committee at Bon Germany Jun.28-Jul.8.