The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee unanimously adopted a resolution stating that Japan failed to properly convey historical facts on Korean victims of forced labor on Battleship Island (Hashima Island). On July 22, Kyodo News covered the story also mentioning that the assessment included unusually strong expressions, such as “strongly regret,” aimed at the Japanese government.

According to Kyodo News, in the resolution, the World Heritage Committee, asked the Japanese government to make improvements to the Industrial Heritage Information Center in Tokyo, describing Battleship Island. Specifically, the committee pointed out that the Japanese government failed to sufficiently explain the fact that South Koreans were victims of forced labor and also failed to properly remember the victims.

In 2015, when the Japanese government tried to have its modern industrial facilities, including many sites like Battleship Island, where Koreans were forced to labor during the Japanese occupation, inscribed in the World Heritage list, the Japanese government had promised the international community to make known the entire history including forced labor to overcome opposition from South Korea. However, the exhibition at the Industrial Heritage Information Center in Tokyo on display to inform the history of Battleship Island, highlights an image that suggests there was no discrimination against Koreans and no human rights violations.

The National Congress of Industrial Heritage, which runs the Industrial Heritage Information Center, has been leading efforts to distort history, posting a video of a former resident of Battleship Island denying any human rights infringements on its website. The South Korean government and sensible civic groups in Korea and Japan repeatedly urged the Japanese government to improve the exhibition and properly inform the public on how the Japanese government took the Korean workers against their will and forced them to work under harsh conditions, but the Japanese government argued that it had faithfully fulfilled its promise.

Earlier, Japan opposed the point made by UNESCO. When the resolution was first made public on July 12, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, spokesperson for the Japanese government, held a press conference the next day on July 13 and said, “Japan sincerely accepted the resolution and recommendation of the World Heritage Committee and has faithfully implemented them including the promises made by our government.” On July 17, Kyodo News reported, “Japan plans to rebut UNESCO’s recommendations,” and further explained, “At UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee session…, Japan plans to explain that its exhibition at the Industrial Heritage Information Center on workers from Korea forced to work in the Hashima Coal Mine… is based on historical facts and appropriate.” However, the resolution was adopted without discussions and Japan has not requested any opportunity to make further arguments on this matter.