• Listed on Japan's Tentative List

  • Nomination dossier preparation

  • Preliminary Assessment

  • Japan decides on property
    to be nominated
    and submits nomination
    dossier to UNESCO
    (One per country per year)

  • Evaluation by ICOMOS
    (Takes approx. 1.5 years)

  • Review by the
    World Heritage Committee
    (Once yearly) / Inscription Decision

※1Nomination Dossier

The document by which State Party of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention nominates to UNESCO a property(ies) it considers suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List. The dossier details the property’s Outstanding Universal Value and the management plan. The nominated property(ies) must be already listed on each State Party’s Tentative List.

※2Preliminary Assessment

The Preliminary Assessment will be undertaken by ICOMOS and IUCN on a joint basis whenever relevant, and will be an independent desk review, which will include consultation with expert reviewers. Based on available information, the conclusions of the assessment will include an indication of whether the site may have potential to justify Outstanding Universal Value. If so, specific guidance and advice, in the form of recommendations, will be provided to assist the States Parties in the development of the nomination dossier.
It is decided on 44th session of the World Heritage Committee to adopt Preliminary Assessment, and voluntary Preliminary Assessment will commence with the deadline for submission by 15 September 2023. 1 October of next year, the relevant Advisory Bodies deliver their assessments to the Secretariat for transmission to the concerned States Parties. A minimum of 12 months shall occur between reception of the Preliminary Assessment outcome and the submission of the related Nomination Dossier. Preliminary Assessment will be mandatory, meaning that only nominations with a Preliminary Assessment will be examined from 2027 onwards.

※3Japan Deciding On Nominated Property(ies)

The Council for Cultural Affairs of Japan selects a property as a nomination, and the Cabinet makes the government’s final decision.

※4ICOMOS

ICOMOS (the International Council on Monuments and Sites) is a non-governmental organization with headquarters in Charenton-le-Pont, France. Founded in 1965, its role is to promote the application of theory, methodology and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage.

※5The World Heritage Committee

This committee is organized based on the World Heritage Convention and consists of representatives from 21 countries that are States Parties of the World Heritage Convention. The committee examines nominated properties and decides whether to inscribe them.