UNESCO Sides with Japan on Gunkanjima Heritage Dispute

Jul 09, 2025 | News On Japan

NAGASAKI - Japan’s position on its handling of World Cultural Heritage sites, including Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) in Nagasaki City, has been upheld by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which rejected South Korea’s demand for a renewed review of Japan’s efforts.

The site in question, known officially as the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution,” includes Hashima Island—commonly referred to as Gunkanjima—and was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage list in 2015.

On July 7th, during a session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Paris, the South Korean delegation argued that Japan should provide a more comprehensive account of the site's history, including its “negative legacy.” They proposed that the committee reopen the issue and conduct a formal re-examination of Japan’s approach.

Japan responded by stating that the matter should not be dealt with at the committee level and should instead continue to be addressed through bilateral discussions. A vote was held, and Japan’s position—to handle the issue through two-nation dialogue rather than UNESCO committee intervention—was supported.

Source: FNN

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