Japan insists on "faithful implementation of commitments" amid requests to review cancellation of World Heritage status for Korea

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Regarding the South Korean government's request to UNESCO to cancel the World Heritage listing of Japan's modern industrial facilities, the Japanese government reiterated that it is faithfully fulfilling its promises, including explanations related to forced labor.

According to NHK on the 24th, Yoshihide Suga, Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, said at a regular briefing that "We have seriously accepted the resolutions and recommendations of the World Heritage Committee so far and have faithfully implemented the promised measures, and there is no change in our position to continue responding appropriately."

This message was issued in response to South Korea's criticism that the Japanese government is not fulfilling its promises made to UNESCO. On the 22nd, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the UNESCO Secretary-General, requesting active cooperation to adopt a resolution urging Japan to faithfully implement follow-up measures, including the possibility of canceling the World Cultural Heritage listing of sites such as Gunkanjima.

Previously, at the 39th World Heritage Committee held on July 7, 2015, which decided to list forced labor sites such as Gunkanjima as World Heritage, Kuni Sato, then Japan's ambassador to UNESCO, representing the Japanese government, explained that they were prepared to take appropriate measures to honor the victims of forced labor. However, the recently opened Industrial Heritage Information Center exhibited content that denies the testimonies of forced labor victims and highlights an image as if there were no human rights violations during the forced labor process.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.