UNESCO decided Sunday to add ancient sites in Nara Prefecture to its World Heritage List, marking Japan's 27th such site.
The decision was made during a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea. The sites, known as Asuka-Fujiwara: Archaeological Sites of Japan's Ancient Capitals and Related Properties, consist of 19 archaeological sites dating from the late sixth century to the early eighth century.
The ruins are regarded for demonstrating the process by which Japan's centralized state was established against the backdrop of close interactions with China and the Korean Peninsula. Major sites include the ruins of the Asuka Palace and Fujiwara Palace, Buddhist temple ruins, and burial mounds such as the Takamatsuzuka mounded tomb and the Kitora mounded tomb.
A UNESCO advisory body recommended adding the sites to the World Heritage List in June. With the addition, Japan now has 22 cultural and five natural World Heritage sites.
