UNESCO World Heritage sites in Japan

The World Heritage Committee has inscribed the following properties on the World Heritage List:
 
 

	1993 Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area			1996 Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)
	1993 Himeji-jo			1996 Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
	1993 Yakushima			1998 Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
	1993 Shirakami-Sanchi			1999 Shrines and Temples of Nikko
	1994 Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)			2000 Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu
	1995 Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama			2004 Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
				2005 Shiretoko Peninsula
				2007 Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine

The World Heritage List was established under terms of The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted in November 1972 at the 17th General Conference of UNESCO.

The Convention states that a World Heritage Committee "will establish, keep up-to-date and publish" a World Heritage List of cultural and natural properties, submitted by the States Parties and considered to be of outstanding universal value.

One of the main responsibilities of this Committee is to provide technical co-operation under the World Heritage Fund for the safeguarding of World Heritage properties to States Parties whose resources are insufficient.

States Parties can request international assistance under the Fund for the preparation of tentative lists and nomination forms, expert missions, training of specialized staff, and supply of equipment when appropriate; they can also apply for long-term loans and, in special cases, non-repayable grants. Requests must concern work necessary for the preservation of cultural or natural sites included in the World Heritage List or assistance to national or regional training centres.

Emergency assistance is also available under the Fund in the case of properties severely damaged by specific natural or man-made disasters or threatened with imminent destruction.

source: www.unesco.org