Photo/Illutration A part of the Aikawa Gold and Silver Mine ruin in Sado, Niigata Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Japan decided to go ahead with its decision to nominate ancient gold and silver mines on the island of Sado in Niigata Prefecture for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2023 despite dismay from South Korea which had objected to the move.

“We will do our utmost to have their high cultural value recognized by working with the appropriate local governments and government ministries and agencies,” Shinsuke Suematsu, the minister of the education, culture, sports, science and technology, told reporters after a Feb. 1 Cabinet meeting during which the plan gained approval.

The government will submit its recommendation to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre by early Feb. 2 to meet the deadline.

The Cultural Affairs Agency selected the Sado gold mine complex at the end of last year as Japan’s only candidate site for 2023 UNESCO listing.

The government initially shied away from nominating the site for listing due to calls by Seoul to drop the matter on grounds the complex is strongly associated with the “use of forced Korean labor by Japan” during its 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

But Tokyo changed its mind following growing calls from conservative elements within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party as well as local officials in Niigata.

“After deliberating on the best timing for applying for the listing, we concluded that the shortest way to realize the designation would be to apply this year to start discussions as quickly as possible,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Jan. 28 when announcing plans for the nomination.

Seoul expressed deep regret over the decision and strongly urged Tokyo to abandon its bid.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to UNESCO, will carry out on-site surveys and announce its decision around May next year on whether to recommend the mines for listing.

Based on the recommendation, the World Heritage Committee, which comprises 21 countries, will make a final decision around June or July 2023.

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