Participation in the 48ht Session of the World Heritage Committee
The 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee took place in Busan, Republic of Korea from July 19 to 29, 2026; three members of our institute, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), participated in the event as observers. In addition, on July 25, the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage – for which our institute serves as the secretariat – organized a side event, attended by five members from TOBUNKEN and three members from the Regional Subcommittee to present the Consortium’s objectives, activities, achievements and future prospects. An overview, as well as details about this event are available on the Consortium’s website, which we invite you to visit (https://www.jcic-heritage.jp/). Compared with the previous years, and thanks to the geographical proximity of the two countries, there was a significantly larger Japanese turnout for the inscription of the “Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara,” and also for a side event organized for July 24 by the Preservation and Utilization Council of “Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region,”
This year, the total number of World Heritage sites has reached 1,273 thanks to 25 new inscriptions, including those made under emergency procedures for conflict zones such as Palestine and Lebanon. A series of decisions was also adopted that significantly reflect the impact of armed conflicts on 6 sites – located in the aforementioned countries and in Ukraine – leading to their inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Regarding Japan, in addition to the inscription of the Asuka-Fujiwara site, further improvement of the information and interpretation facilities for the “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution” was requested by a related State Party concerned. Evolving concepts regarding the conservation of World Heritage are being applied retroactively; debates have arisen concerning two cultural heritage sites in London, United Kingdom, that lack a buffer zone, focusing on the negative impacts of urban development on their setting and their potential inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Although inclusion of these sites on that list was ultimately avoided, the challenges associated with preserving cultural heritage sites located in urban areas are highly relevant to Japan as well.
The World Heritage system has thus far been guided by five fundamental objectives, known as the “5Cs” (Credibility, Conservation, Capacity Building, Communication, and Communities); the Busan Declaration unanimously introduced a sixth “C,” that of “Cooperation,” to address issues such as armed conflict and climate change, which require a more cohesive commitment from the international community. Regarding the Nairobi Declaration on Heritage and Authenticity, while the importance of intangible aspects – such as oral traditions and spirituality – has been reaffirmed, challenges have arisen concerning the integration of these components into the World Heritage system, which was conceived primarily for the conservation of immovable properties. In light of these developments, TOBUNKEN will dedicate this year’s World Heritage seminar to the theme “World Heritage within the local community” and continue its efforts to disseminate relevant information.