PEOPLE

After Some Twists and Turns, It Was Selected as One of the Component Parts.

Kato: Actually, before that, there was some trouble. Mr. Smith suggested that if we dug up the gate ball field and parking lot, something might come out, and I asked the Agency for Cultural Affairs to dig them up. Still, the prefecture and city were vehemently opposed because the Ariake Engan Road might pass through. This probably made the Agency for Cultural Affairs reluctant because they were worried about what they would do if they went that far and found nothing. More to the point, I think the Agency for Cultural Affairs was skeptical about whether Saga would remain on the provisional list of Heritage of Industrial Revolution.

Eguchi: I see.

Kato: Even if foreign World Heritage specialists came and conducted excavation work, it would not be easy. Instead, the Agency for Cultural Affairs wanted to focus on the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate and take up the challenge in the form of a theory of iron manufacture at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which is Mr Suzuki's specialty. We told them that we would not interfere with the Ariake Engan Road and wanted their cooperation in leaving Saga on the provisional list; however, the influence of National Road was more substantial, so we were left with no choice. In response, Mr. Haji started campaigning furiously, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs finally moved.

Eguchi: At that point, I had retired as mayor of the town, but during my tenure, I was researching the Mietsu Naval Station site from the perspective of tourism. That was when I asked the prefecture to put in trenches, and thus, we were able to excavate some of the sites. That didn't lead to anything, but that is what happened. And then there was the fact that the research continued after that, and I think that is why the Agency for Cultural Affairs was leaning towards the direction that the possibility was not necessarily zero.

Kato: I think so. It was also significant that you were a man of great enthusiasm and had established the Sano Tsunetami Memorial Museum during your term as mayor. If there had been no Sano Tsunetami Memorial Museum, we would have been hopeless. In the first place, we could not have reached the ruins of the Mietsu Naval Station. We started simply by deciding to visit the Sano Tsunetami Memorial Museum since it was there. By the way, what was the reaction of the citizens?

Eguchi: There was a feeling that although the Mietsu Naval Station Site might become a national historic site (it was designated as a national historic site in 2013), it would be too far-fetched to call it a World Heritage Site. As soon as I started talking about “if the Mietsu Naval Station Ruins are registered as a World Heritage Site…” everyone smiled grimly (laughs).

Kato: You, Mr. Eguchi worked energetically.

Eguchi: First, three local forums and symposia were held, and four Kids History Rams were held at Saga University; in 2009, PR citizens’ activities for the Mietsu Naval Station site were launched; and in 2011, through the conservation activities of 80 major organizations in the local areas of the Mietsu Naval Station Site—namely Kawazoe Town and Morotomi Town—, the administration and organizations by citizens were set up. Amid positive efforts, I had a nightmare that only Saga was off the list, and I could not help myself from calling you to ask, "If Saga was really ok?"

Kato: Even for me, I was fighting against the pressure of having so many people involved, so I understand. In fact, I was in a pinch. Even among the committee members, there were two opinions: some thought this would pass, and others thought it wasn't good enough. The biggest problem was that we felt that it was after the steamboat was built, but the excavations left no traces of a steamboat. They say that when a steam engine is used, the soil in the area is discoloured by the heat, but they did not find any discoloured soil.

Eguchi: We heard that the masonry furnace had changed colour in some parts, and that came out, but overall, it was not very conclusive, and there were some tense moments.

Kato: But even if it was a wooden dock, docks that made good use of river currents are rare in Japan and are extremely valuable relics. And the fact that the Mietsu Naval Station was a pioneer in training for the operation of large vessels and in preparing the facilities for further ship repairs... It is a fact that the Mietsu Naval Station was a pioneer in the field of training for the operation of large ships and the establishment of facilities for the repair of vessels. At the same time, however, there are still some dream-like, or rather slightly over-advanced, illustrations that can be found....... For example, there are no blast furnaces in Saga. The reason is that iron cannot be extracted in Saga, but there are drawings that have been left behind that assume that iron could be extracted, which lacks credibility. It was once pointed out that it would be difficult to register the site without clarifying where and to what extent it was factual. In this situation, the researchers from Saga City were excellent and were able to provide us with persuasive material.

Eguchi: Yes. The foreign experts were surprised when we finally unearthed a Western-style dry dock on the riverbed. Morotomi Town and Kawazoe Town merged with Yamato Town, Fuji Town and Mitsuse Village in 2005 to form the new Saga City, but it would have been difficult for them to unite after the merger. In this sense, the timing was good. Above all, despite some tense moments, the talks generally progressed speedily. I can now clearly see that this was due to the power of you, Ms Kato and that we were driven forward by your passion and conviction.

Kato: Thank you very much.

Eguchi: The Mietsu Naval Station Site, which has been registered as a World Heritage Site, must be managed and preserved for the next 100 years or even through all eternity. It was our generation that was involved in the World Heritage registration, but the big challenge is to pass on the passion of our generation to the next generation. As part of school education, I would like to devote my efforts to conveying to children the history of the end of the Edo period, the history of modernization and the history of the Mietsu Naval Station.

Kato: We look forward to continuously working with you in the future.