UNESCO urges Japan to disclose wartime forced labor at Sado mines

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee on Thursday adopted a resolution calling on Japan to reflect the "whole history" across all periods of mining exploitation in on-site interpretation and displays at the Sado mines.

The adoption supports the Korean government's demand that Japan mention the mine's history of using wartime forced laborers from the Korean Peninsula and other Asian countries on signposts located in the heritage site.

During the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held at BEXCO in Busan, member states adopted the decision regarding Japan’s State of Conservation report by consensus without debate.

The decision emphasized that Tokyo's follow-up measures regarding wartime history remain insufficient, stating that "further clarification is needed regarding how the interpretation and presentation strategy and facilities comprehensively address, at the site level, the whole history of the property throughout all periods of mining exploitation." The committee requested that Japan keep the World Heritage Committee regularly informed of its progress and recommended that i ...