Publications
Japan's Mining Heritage in Dispute
Japan's efforts to promote its Meiji Industrial Revolution and Sado Island Gold Mines as UNESCO World Heritage Sites have sparked significant controversy in East Asia, highlighting the complex and contested nature of historical narratives. The study reveals that while these designations aim to showcase Japan's cultural heritage, they provoke intense criticism from regional stakeholders, particularly South Korea, due to their association with imperial legacies and wartime history. Despite not directly threatening physical preservation, such disputes perpetuate conflicts and challenge the sustainability of heritage sites when interpreted unilaterally. The research suggests that fostering a plural understanding of contested histories is crucial for ensuring the long-term viability of these sites.
Ignoring the History of Foreign Forced Labour at Japan's ‘Sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution'
Japan's 'Sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, and Coal Mining,' inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2015, have been embroiled in controversy due to their association with forced labor during World War II. Key sites such as Gunkanjima, Miike coal mines, Nagasaki Shipbuilding complex, and Yawata Steel Works utilized thousands of Korean and Chinese forced laborers, along with Allied POWs, as slave laborers. Despite international criticism, particularly from South Korea, Japan initially omitted this history from its public historical displays between 2015 and 2021. This chapter highlights the significant role of these sites in Japan's industrial development while addressing the ethical implications of their heritage status.
Japan's World Heritage Miike Coal Mine – Where prisoners-of-war worked “like slaves”
Japan's Miike Coal Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its role in the Meiji Industrial Revolution, harbors a darker history that has been largely overlooked by official narratives. Research reveals that the mine, operated by Mitsui, was not only Japan's largest coal producer during World War II but also housed the largest Allied POW camp and employed Korean and Chinese forced laborers under brutal conditions. The involvement of Australian POWs further illuminates instances of resistance despite severe abuse. This study underscores Japan's obligation to disclose the complete history of such sites, moving beyond sanitized tourism to acknowledge the full scope of exploitation and labor practices that defined this industrial era.
Katō Kōko's Meiji Industrial Revolution – Forgetting forced labor to celebrate Japan's World Heritage Sites – Part 1
A UNESCO/ICOMOS report from July 2021 revealed that the Industrial Heritage Information Centre for Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution World Heritage Sites presents a misleading narrative, omitting the history of forced labor at these sites. The Centre, managed by Katō Kōko, was tasked with documenting remembrance for victims of forced labor, including Koreans, Chinese, and Allied POWs, but instead promotes celebratory narratives that deny this dark history. Despite Japan's agreement to acknowledge such practices during the 2015 inscription process, Katō's leadership has prioritized a sanitized version of history, backed by powerful political figures, undermining international cooperation on historical accuracy.
Katō Kōko's Meiji Industrial Revolution – Forgetting forced labor to celebrate Japan's World Heritage Sites – Part 2
A critical analysis reveals that Katō Kōko, a pivotal figure in Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution World Heritage inscription process, has engaged in historical revisionism by omitting the history of Korean and other forced labor while promoting a celebratory narrative. Her selective interpretation of historical evidence, facilitated by her leadership roles in heritage-related bodies, has legitimized neo-nationalism and radical historical revisionism. The study demonstrates that Katō's cooperation with UNESCO is dishonest, calling for her removal from heritage roles to uphold Japan's commitment to acknowledge wartime forced labor history.
Shifting borders of memory: Japan’s Industrial Heritage Information Centre
A UNESCO-recognized World Heritage site, the 'Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution,' has been collectivized into a singular 'border of memory' between Japan and South Korea. This boundary materializes through contestation, subverting efforts to fix heritage meaning. The study examines how the opening of Tokyo's Industrial Heritage Information Center in 2020 both materialized and reproduced this border, despite protests from South Korea seeking UNESCO intervention. Research relied on nomination documents, site visits, and newspaper reports to analyze disputes surrounding the heritage listing. Findings reveal that borders of memory are dynamic, shifting through contestation and connections across them.
Mobilizing Meiji Nostalgia and Intentional Forgetting in Japan's World Heritage Promotion
Japan's successful 2015 UNESCO World Heritage designation of the 'Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution' reflects a strategic national project that prioritizes Meiji nostalgia over alternative historical narratives, particularly those involving Korean memories of forced labor and colonialism. Despite concerns from domestic stakeholders about potential criticism from South Korea, the Japanese government accelerated its heritage diplomacy campaign, leveraging global recognition to reinforce a glorified historical narrative. The study reveals how a newly established committee, comprising Japanese and Western heritage experts, bypassed conventional nomination procedures to construct and promote this industrial heritage, effectively marginalizing critical perspectives. This approach underscores the tension between national pride and historical accountability in Japan's World Heritage promotion.
From “Convict” to “Victim”: Commemorating Laborers on Hokkaido's Central Road
A critical reassessment of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution sites, proposed for UNESCO World Heritage status, highlights the erasure and misrepresentation of laborers' histories. While the 2015 nomination emphasized Japan's rapid industrialization as a 'unique achievement,' it overlooked the exploited workforce, particularly those on Hokkaido's Central Road, whose experiences transitioned from 'convict' to 'victim' in official narratives. The study exposes how the sites' commemoration perpetuates a sanitized version of history, prioritizing economic success over human cost. This analysis challenges the narrative linking Meiji-era industrialization to Japan's modern economic dominance, advocating for a more inclusive and nuanced recognition of its complexities.
Gunkanjima / Battleship Island, Nagasaki: World Heritage Historical Site or Urban Ruins Tourist Attraction?
Gunkanjima, or Battleship Island, in Nagasaki, Japan, faces significant challenges as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite its inscription in 2015 under the 'Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution,' the site lacks meaningful historical information and conservation efforts aligned with World Heritage guidelines. A critical issue is Japan's refusal to acknowledge the presence of Korean and Chinese forced laborers during WWII, despite an agreement with South Korea. This omission, coupled with the site's decay and its repurposing as a tourist attraction, raises concerns about Japan's compliance with UNESCO requirements and its historical accountability.
Rasa Island: What Industrialization To Remember and Forget
Rasa Island, once a thriving company town of the Rasa Phosphate Industry Inc., offers a counter-narrative to Japan's celebratory industrialization history. Now abandoned, the island reveals the darker, more complex aspects of industrialization that are often overlooked in UNESCO World Heritage Sites like those representing Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution. This study uses critical heritage studies to explore what 'industrial heritage' signifies in post-industrial societies and how it is performed at these sites. By contrasting Rasa Island with the more sanitized narratives found at other heritage sites, the research highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of industrial heritage, one that acknowledges both its achievements and its often-neglected consequences.
Activities of Industrial Heritages in Kitakyushu for preservation and utilization
Industrial heritage in Kitakyushu, Japan, particularly at the Yawata Imperial Works—now a UNESCO World Heritage Site—has been successfully repurposed to balance preservation and public engagement. The study highlights how historic machinery, once at risk of neglect, is now leveraged for educational exhibits in areas like Mojiko Retro while also being integrated into industrial tourism tours that showcase operational equipment. This dual approach has not only safeguarded these sites but also fostered broader appreciation for Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution, demonstrating a model for sustainable heritage utilization.
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