OUR MISSION

Cultural heritage has been protected by particular groups of people as a source of the identity they inherited from their ancestors. It is also an irreplaceable testimony to the history of mankind that should be referred to in building man’s future. On the other hand, it is also a fact that much cultural heritage is facing the risk of degradation, destruction, and disappearance without being given sufficient protection for different reasons. Cooperation in the protection of cultural heritage is becoming increasingly important as a means of facilitating cultural exchange and mutual understanding among various countries. 

The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, the national center for promoting international cooperation in terms of conservation and restoration as well as research of cultural heritage, continues to conduct cooperation projects in various parts of the world actively. The Center’s activities range over diverse areas related to the protection of cultural heritage, such as the collection, study, and dissemination of international information, the implementation of cooperation projects, and capacity development in conservation. 

The Center consists of three sections, namely Resource and Systems Research Section, Conservation Design Section, and Conservation Practice Section. It also coordinates activities with the International Cooperation Section of the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, connecting the two research institutes for cultural properties based in Tokyo and Nara, for effective implementation of the Institutes’ internationally-related activities.