PEOPLE
Democratic Party for the People (DPP) Representative for Nagasaki Prefecture
ーーThree Cheers for the Decision to inscribe the “Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution” onto UNESCO World Heritage List
I think that great thing about Koko is that she not only comes up with the proposals, she also works hard to see them through, with herself at the center of things. Without Koko’s strong belief that this could be accomplished, without her driving force, registration on the World Heritage List would have been no more than a pipe dream.
In July 2015, when the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, Germany decided that the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining” would be inscribed on the World Heritage List, I was attending the public viewing at Glover Garden in Nagasaki. As the people cheered, the decorative paper ball was broken and a banner reading “Congratulations on Registration as World Heritage” came fluttering down. In the midst of that suddenly festive atmosphere, I found myself cheering “Banzai!” without realizing it (laughs). The unprecedented accomplishment of the World Heritage registration of “Industrial Heritage” was a real coup. I am honored to have been able to witness such a historical moment for Japan.
ーーA Curtain on a History of Sweat and Solidarity
A general election for the House of Representatives was held in December 1969. At the time, the late Takeki Komiya had been nominated to stand as a candidate for the Democratic Socialist Party from Nagasaki 1st District, and I also took part in his campaign activities on Hashima (usually known as Gunkanjima). The Hashima coal mine labor union was very welcoming. This was three years before the mine was closed in 1972, mind you, but at that time around 5,000 people lived on Hashima. It was a lively place. Everyone was bright and cheerful.
Our party stayed the night on Hashima, but it was truly an island that never slept. Since there were three shifts of workers, those who were coming off their shift would have a bath and have a drink before heading home. Working in the mines meant your life was on the line, so I guess there was also a certain feeling of liberation about being able to head home safely at the end of the day. Seeing the camaraderie of miners sharing a few drinks with their fellows, I came away with a strong sense of solidarity.
Now, Koko is engaged it collecting testimonies from people who lived on Hashima and at other industrial heritage sites. Calling on and painstakingly recording the stories of people living all over Japan is a work that requires patience. I can only sympathize with this struggle, for which I have nothing but admiration and devotion.
ーーThe Challenge of Training Leaders
All that took place shortly before my retirement. At the time, I had a discussion about the future challenges for Japan’s Industrial Revolutionary heritage with Kōzō Yamamoto, who was the minister on the Special Commission on Regional Revitalization. The gist of the conversation was that preserving industrial heritage was going to be tough. I was of the opinion that while cities and prefectures with component properties would naturally strive to do their part, industrial heritage was a source of national pride, and as such needed to be actively supported by the national government. When I questioned him about this, Minister Yamamoto gave a positive answer.
The value of industrial heritage is that it demonstrates to the world that “Japan also had some difficult times, but look how hard it worked.” Although I’m no longer a politician, I do hope to continue helping out with activities relating to industrial heritage.
In order to convey our Industrial heritage from our generation to the next, and then to posterity, I believe the first step will be to train strong leaders.
(Interview and summary: Akane Maruyama)
Former General Manager, Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Chairman, Fujisankei Group
Executive Managing Advisor, Fuji Television Network, Inc.
Executive Managing Advisor, Fuji Media Holdings, Inc.
Advisor, Federation of Japan Port and Airport Construction Association
(Ex. Chairman of Specialists Center of Port and Airport Engineering)
Mayor of Nagasaki City
Former Director of the Sano Tsunetami Memorial Museum (currently known as Sano Tsunetami and the Mietsu Naval Dock History Museum)
Director of NPO Association for Thinking about Satoyama
Director of National Congress of the Industrial Heritage
Honorary Chief Priest Toshinari Ueda
Former Mayor of Omuta City
Archaeologist and Heritage Conservation Specialist
A fellow of the Japan Federation of Engineering Societies
Team Member of the Industrial Project Team Office for the Promotion of World Heritage Listing under Cabinet Secretariat
Governor of Kagoshima Prefecture
Mayor of Hagi City
Mayor of Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture
The Former Employee of Nippon Steel Corporation
An Associate Professor of the Faculty of Science and Engineering in Iwate University
Chairman of the Tourist Guide Association of Misumi West Port
President of Kuraya Narusawa Co., Ltd.
Chairman of Izunokuni City Tourism Association
Director and General Manager of Gunkanjima Concierge
Producer of the Gunkanjima Digital Museum
Owner at Tōge Chaya
Chairman: Mr. Hidenori Date
President: Mr. Masahiro Date
Proprietor, Houraikan Inn
Representative Director of Egawa Bunko non-profit incorporated foundation
The 42nd head of the Egawa Family
Democratic Party for the People (DPP) Representative for Nagasaki Prefecture
President of the NPO, Way to World Heritage Gunkanjima
Representative Director
MI Consulting Group
President of Watanabe Production Group and Honorary Chair of Watanabe Productions Co., Ltd.
Member of the House of Councillors
Governor
Kagoshima Prefecture
World Heritage Consultant
Director and Dean, The Kyushu-Asia Institute of Leadership
Representative Director, SUMIDA, Inc.
Journalist, founder of the Shimomura Mitsuko Ikikata Juku School
Representative, Rally Nippon
Chairman, Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution World Heritage Route Promotion Council Director, National Congress of Industrial Heritage
Representative Director, General Incorporated Foundation National Congress of Industrial Heritage (Advisor, Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Capital Markets Research Institute）
Mayor of Nagasaki City
Policy Director at Heritage Montreal
World Heritage Consultant
Executive Director of Kogakuin University
Heritage Architect and International Consultant
Head of Data Acquisition at The Glasgow School of Art’s School of Simulation and Visualisation
Head of Industrial Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland, Edinburgh
Scottish Ten Project Manager, Historic Environment Scotland, Edinburgh
Mayor of Izunokuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Pro-Provost and Chairman of Council of the Royal College of Art. Heritage advisor of Canal & River Trust for England and Wales.
Dean of Tokyo Rissho Junior College
Professor emeritus of Keio University
Mayor of Kitakyushu City
At the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee convened in Bonn, Germany, from June 28 to July 8, 2015, the decision was approved to inscribe the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution on the World Heritage list.
At a celebratory party held to mark the occasion, some of the primary promoters of the project spoke of their joy in achieving their goal and of the trials and tribulations to getting there.
Director and Managing Executive Officer, Hanshin Expressway Company Limited
Member, Board of Directors, National Congress of Industrial Heritage
Vice-Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture
Mayor of Hagi City
Chairman, Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd.
Mayor of Omuta City
Deputy Director-General, Lifelong Learning Policy Bureau, MEXT
Former Counsellor, Cabinet Secretariat
Mayor of Kamaishi City
Member, Board of Directors, National Congress of Industrial Heritage Counselor, Shimadzu Limited
Chairman of the Consortium for the World Heritage Inscription of Modern Industrial Heritage (Kyushu-Yamaguchi) and governor of Kagoshima Prefecture (as of 2015)