The Japanese Funds-in-trust for the Preservation of World Cultural Heritage
The Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Preservation of the World Cultural Heritage, the most well-known Japanese Funds-in-Trust, was created in 1989. In 2004, the total contributions amounted to US$50 million.
This Fund finances projects aimed at preserving and restoring monuments, sites and archaeological remains of a great historical/artistic value. Half of the beneficiary sites are includedat preserving and restoring monuments, sites and archaeological remains of a great historical/artistic value on the World Heritage List.
In developing countries, numerous monuments and sites threaten to vanish or deteriorate irreversibly for lack of means and human resources to ensure their restoration and maintenance. UNESCO and Japan, in addition to the financial support and help to the buildings' restoration, organize training workshops aimed at transferring competences and know-how.
Two major projects within the Fund are the preservation of the archaeological site of Angkor (Cambodia) and the conservation of the Bamiyan Site (Afghanistan). Through these projects and some others already terminated, we invite you to discover some of the actions undertaken by UNESCO thanks to the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Preservation of the World Cultural Heritage.
List of projects (as of April 2011)
Angkor (Cambodia) : A Decade of Cooperation
Angkor's preservation is unquestionably one the most important project of this Funds-in-Trust, not only by the number of actions implemented on the field since 1993, before and after project's implementation, but also by the number of specialists cooperating to restore the Angkor Site. The cooperation in this field will continue in the years to come.
Among the actions undertaken, we can mention the following:
Restoration of the Nothern Library of the Bayon
Restoration of the Northern Library of Angkor Wat
Restoration of the Royal Plaza
Technical Assistance to the Angkor Conservation Office (ACO)
Preparation of a Manual of Cambodian Epigraphy
Training for the National Capacity-Building for the Conservation of Cultural Monuments
More on a Decade of Cooperation between Japan, UNESCO and Cambodia.
To obtain further information on cooperation between Japan and UNESCO to preserve Angkor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs' page on Angkor and UNESCO website's page on the programme for the safeguarding of Angkor
Bamiyan (Afghanistan)
The destruction of the two Buddha statues in March 2001 deeply affected Japan and UNESCO which join forces and take action to try to prevent what the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Koichiro Matsuura, did not hesitate to describe as a crime against culture.
Japan is now working with UNESCO to consolidate and conserve the site, in collaboration with the Afghan Government. In September 2002, a joint Japan-UNESCO Mission was sent to Bamiyan with a view to preparing the conservation project of the site which is presently under way.
The Japanese painter Ikuo Hirayama, who passed away in 2009, was also UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and has taken action to safeguard the Afghan Cultural Heritage through his Foundation (Hirayama Institute, Japan).
Non-exhaustive list of heritage restoration and conservation financed by the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Preservation of the World Cultural Heritage
Ancient Ruins of Jiaohe City (China)
Ancient Ruins of Kharakhorum City (Mongolia)
Buddhist Monuments in Sanchi and Satdhara (India)
Cultural Heritage of Easter Island (Chile)
Fayaz Tepa Buddhist Remains (Uzbekistan)
Hanyuan Hall of the Daming Palace of the Tang Dynasty (China)
Kumtura Thousand Buddha Caves (China)
Kuntur Wasi Prehistoric Temples (Peru)
Monuments at the Malwatta Vihara Complex, Kandy (Sri Lanka)
Gandhara Bhuddhist Monuments (Pakistan)
Monuments in Hue City (Viet Nam)
Monuments in the Kathmandu Valley (Nepal)
Monuments of Bagerhat (Bangladesh)
The Royal Palaces of Abomey (Benin)
Wall Paintings of the Royal Tomb of Amenhotep III (Egypt)
Latest Publication on the International Cooperation through the UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust (
pdf, 2.91MB)
Second publication (2003) concerning the Japanese Funds-in-Trust Preservation of Cultural Heritage (
First publication concerning the Japanese Funds-in-Trust Preservation of Cultural Heritage (1998) (
Enjoying a rich historical and religious heritage as well as an abundant and varied nature, Japan has long been aware of the importance to protect natural and cultural heritage and has given priority to the protection of the national cultural heritage. (More information on the protection of cultural heritage in Japan)
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