PEOPLE
Governor of Kagoshima Prefecture
World Heritage Registration is Not a Goal, but a Starting Point
Kato When the decision was made to inscribe the site as a World Heritage Site in 2015, I was both happy and relieved.
Shiota I understand. When the decision was finally made to inscribe the site as a World Heritage Site, I was in Nagasaki as a representative of the Cabinet Secretariat, accompanying the Scottish Minister who had come to Japan. The public viewing was ready at Glover Garden and we were just waiting for the countdown, but in the end, it had to be postponed for a week. However, the Scottish people had assured me that it would be fine, so I was not worried. I was happy and relieved when the decision was made to register.
Kato It was more of a brief moment of relief, though. Everyone knew that this was merely the start, not the finish line.
Shiota That is right. After that, we had to work on how to communicate and present the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.” Ms. Kato also worked hard on this, for example by creating a logo, but it was necessary for all the local authorities to unite and cooperate with each other.
Kato Since his return to Kagoshima, Governor Shiota has maintained an uninterrupted relationship with the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.”
Shiota As Ms. Kato mentioned at the beginning of this section, Kagoshima has three component parts that make up the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.” These assets are a source of pride for the local people, and we think it is important not only to use them as a tourism resource, but also to make the younger generation, who will be responsible for the future, aware of the fact that their predecessors' efforts have led to the modernization of Japan, and to make educational efforts.
Kato Yes. I want the younger generation to realize that their predecessors in Satsuma, and by extension the Japanese who lived at the end of the Edo period, were so intelligent, diligent, and brave, and I want them to gain the strength to live bravely, knowing that they can do it as well. That is the true purpose of the aim to have the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution” inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Shiota Kagoshima is the only prefecture in Japan to have two World Natural Heritage sites—“Yakushima” and “Amami Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern Okinawa Island, and Iriomote-jima Island”—in addition to the World Cultural Heritage Site known as "Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution."
Kato That is great, is it not? On the other hand, I think it is very difficult to carry out conservation activities. Hashima Island (also known as Gunkanjima), for example, is a headache because the seawall collapses every year due to typhoons and it is expensive to repair it. If this happens, it could lead to a crisis for the "Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution," which is a serial property. There is a stipulation that if even one place is missing, the World Heritage Site will cease to exist.
Shiota We have to take an attitude of not only protecting the assets of our own region, but also protecting the assets of all regions together.
Kato This is only hypothetically speaking, but if we look at the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution” in the long run, it may, for example, become difficult to sustain the silhouette of Hashima Island in its current state. Or the Giant Cantilever Crane in Nagasaki may not be able to retain its current appearance over time. But that does not mean it cannot be destroyed. I think the big challenge for the future will be to discuss what to do when that happens and to find a solution. I hope that Governor Shiota will exercise his leadership. I look forward to your continued support.
Shiota I wish you the best of regards.
(Composed and written by Akane Maruyama)
Senior Researcher, Industrial Heritage Information Centre
Honorary Advisor, Nippon Mining Co., Ltd.
The Ambassador of Supporting Kamaishi Hometown
Former Director of Nagasaki City World Heritage Office
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)