The Japanese government announced plans to engage in discussions with South Korea regarding the nomination of the Sado mine as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Located in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, the Sado mine was the world’s largest gold mine during the 17th century. Controversy surrounds the nomination due to the forced labor of over 1,000 Koreans during Japan’s occupation, used to produce copper, iron, zinc, and other war materials. To address this, Japan has limited its application to the mid-16th to mid-19th centuries, excluding the era of forced labor, a move opposed by the South Korean government.
“We are working to realize the World Heritage listing of the Sado mine,” said Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, during a press conference on Jun. 7. When asked about coordination with Korea, which claims the mine was a forced labor site during World War II, Hayashi stated, “We are continuing discussions with Korea, which has an opposing position.”
However, it remains unclear whether his statement indicates that he is ‘continuing discussions with Korea, which has an opposing position, or that he is discussing whether to ‘include a section related to forced labor,’ which is Korea’s position.
Hayashi emphasized that the government values the recommendations of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and acknowledged that while the Sado Mine is deemed worthy of consideration for World Heritage status, there are objections to its listing.
“In cooperation with the local government, we are comprehensively examining the Sado mine to determine the most effective approach for its inscription on the World Heritage List at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in July,” Hayashi added.
ICOMOS issued a ‘referral’ decision on the Sado mine nomination earlier. This entails reviewing the file and conducting a site visit, leading to one of four recommendations: inscription, referral, deferral, or non-inscription. A ‘referral’ requests clarification of any deficiencies, including the submission of additional data. Once addressed, the property may be inscribed on the World Heritage List at a subsequent meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
