Japan refiles request to list divisive gold mine on UNESCO

I feel like Japan, in its zeal to get every ho-hum place listed, is actually undermining the whole meaning of world heritage site. It seems to be gaming the system by playing on some kind of twisted uniqueness. I mean to say, a few holes in the ground compared to hundreds of magnificent architectural sites in Europe that can't get listed because a similar place has been listed before?

If Japan want it, Japan will try to get it no matter what. No matter history of that site.

why do they constantly seek approbation from others I wonder.

I've been dow , and while it's moderately interesting, it's not even the best thing on Sado.

What is this obsession with getting everything listed as world heritage sites?

There are about 50 in Japan, and many are fairly modest. They really should be of global interest and many are not even particularly high on the domestic list.

If a site is really worth visiting, people will come whether the place is UNESCO recommended or not. There are much nicer places to visit in Japan than a former goldmine that’s run out of gold.

Very fair demand to include and mention the Korean labourers history. It's history, so, must be respected the details of these times to honor the memory of all workers.

Sado Island should be granted World Heritage Status. The Pyramids of Egypt and countless other WHS were built by slave/forced Labor - from the Caribbean to Africa to Australia - and everywhere in between.

Japan submitted updated documents on Thursday.

In brown envelopes, by any chance?

Why not just reopen the mines? Instead of Korean slave labor, give the work to homeless people who refuse to work while the nation must rely on foreign labor to keep society running.

Danielsan, only sado-masochists would work in that mine. Hence the name.

@Makoto Shimizu

Very fair demand to include and mention the Korean labourers history. 

This will never be approved and listed by UNESCO because of the Japan lobbied rule that no application opposed by another member can be processed unless all parties in dispute reach an agreement.

This rule was originally introduced to block China's listing of old Imperial Japanese Army's comfort women documents that revealed Imperial Japanese Army ordered and managed comfort women, but now is used to block Japan's listings opposed by Japan's enemies.

If at first you don’t succeed……..

Keep going until they give in from exhaustion!

Do not see how this can be regarded as being of world importance, lots of more impressive mines in the world an older so where is the world class exceptional significance that justifies such a designation?

Fighto, you are well out of date, the idea that the pyramids were built by slave labour has been comprehensively disproved for a long time now.

A little off topic, but... I was once in beautiful Lisbon and asked how they managed to pave the entire city in black and white tiles. The answer, of course, was "slaves". I'm sure you can find many wonderful historical relics that were made in unethical ways (pyramids, Indian carpets, you name it).

Maybe places like Sado island should be a UNESCO site, but with a second designation "questionable ethics"

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea contributed to this report.

The bottom line: Japan is again trying to whitewash Japan’s wartime past.

Like an insecure child wanting to be told how special and unique they are.

Japanese thinks this gives it some kind of international boost in popularity and value but I feel it's only Japan that really cares about it, I didn't even know about UNESCO sites before I came here back in high school. Only time I ever hear about it, it has to do with Japan.

Gambare Nippon:

The Pyramids of Egypt

Er, do you know anyone who knows anyone who helped build the Pyramids? Besides, somehow, I don't think it's useful to compare a mine to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It's even embarrassing to do so.

Please, just make the whole country a UNESCO site. Get it over and done with in one go.

I know Aso is pining to get his families mines that were worked by enslaved "Koreans" on UNESCO'S world heritage list.

Has Aso mentioned their superior culture as a selling point?

Is Pearl Harbor a UNESCO heritage site?

If not, then it should be listed for it being attacked by the Japanese Imperial army and prompting the US to enter the World War!

South Korea's long list of complaints with Japan, what's new.

Koreans care so much about history, yet Korean crimes committed in Vietnam get a complete pass by S.Korea.

Because Vietnamese people don't constantly live in the past like Koreans do, don't ask for apologies and compensation like Koreans do, they think that makes Korean crimes ok, forgiven, in the past! While at the same time telling Japanese the 50th apology is not good enough, and the 3rd payment not enough. Hypocrites.

Sado is where Nichiren was exiled.

All places associated with the life of Nichiren should be designated as WHS.

“The Korean government will continue to make efforts together with the international community including UNESCO so that the full history which contains the painful history of people who were forced to work during wartime can be reflected,” South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

How about reflecting with the international community on what the South Koreans did during the Vietnam War?

https://quo-vademus.org/when-the-dragons-came-the-legacy-of-south-korean-war-crimes-in-vietnam/

https://www.newmandala.org/politics-of-denial-south-korean-war-crimes-in-vietnam/

Have the reports that over 200 allied POW's were murdered and are entombed in these mines ever been investigated?

Awa no GaijinToday  06:58 am JST

A nearly 400 yr old slave camp !

Japan is so proud of that place

Korean laborers under the Wartime Mobilization Law, who were not "slaves" were involved from 1938 to 1945. That's 7 years out of 400.

"The people who were mobilized were sent to work at private-sector companies, where they were paid relatively high wages usually based on the terms of their time-limited contracts of employment."

JapanReview_Vol2_No2_05_TsutomuNishioka.pdf (jiia-jic.jp)

Why do you persist in posting without actually studying a subject?

Dude, really? lol

Pukey2...

Please, just make the whole country a UNESCO site. Get it over and done with in one go.

Exactly! The whole country is totally unique, wonderful and sugoi!

I don't take either side of the discussion. But isn't this too unilateral?

ultra-conservatives in the ruling party known for their efforts to whitewash Japan’s wartime past.

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea contributed to this report.

As a press you guys should at least be neutral.