Japan Press Weekly

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2024 November 27 - December 3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Kitakyushu City ignoring ICOMOS Heritage Alert will demolish archaeological remains

The mayor of Kitakyushu City on November 29 decided to tear down the archaeological remains of the First Moji Railway Station Complex which were discovered on the planned construction site of a complex of public facilities in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Citizens and researchers are voicing their anger against the decision, calling for the preservation of the remains.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), issued an international “Heritage Alert” on September 3 to demand a halt to the development plan and a comprehensive conservation of the remains.

Mayor Takeuchi Kazuhisa, however, ignored the call by ICOMOS and its Japanese National Committee urging the municipal government to engage in dialogue with citizens, professionals, and academics to explore solutions.

As of the end of November, the remains of the Meiji-era locomotive depot and the stone wall of the station building are still intact, but the city is planning to demolish all the remains by the end of next March, except for some sections to be preserved or relocated.

The Japanese Communist Party members’ group of the Kitakyushu City Assembly has been pointing out problems with the development plan, saying that the planned construction site is located in the zone which is expected to be inundated by storm surges.

Takahashi Miyako, a JCP assemblyperson, said, “It is unacceptable for the city to destroy the remains of the city’s historic landmark in order to build the public facility complex that could endanger citizens’ lives in the event of a storm surge disaster.”

She added, “We will demand that the construction be cancelled immediately and will inform as many citizens as possible of this issue through assembly sessions, and press Mayor Takeuchi to fundamentally review the plan.”