Overview

• The Cultural Affairs Council on August 26 decided to postpone selecting Hikone Castle as this fiscal year’s domestic recommendation for UNESCO inscription.
• Reviewers cited unresolved issues including objective comparisons with other castles, clearer justification for narrowing to well-preserved examples, and stronger evidence and definitions for the 'daimyo governance' framing.
• ICOMOS issued a pre-evaluation last October saying the site could meet inscription criteria, yet domestic reviewers concluded the dossier still falls short.
• Shiga Prefecture and Hikone City expressed regret, said they will revise and resubmit, and acknowledged their two-year registration goal is now difficult after investing significant time, staff and funds.
• In a separate item, the council also recommended deferring the proposed addition of the Yanaginomisho archaeological site to Hiraizumi, citing insufficient supporting grounds.