일본 사도광산의 세계유산 등재상 쟁점과 과제

Abstract

The controversy over modern industrial facilities in Japan, which intensified with the registration of the Meiji Industrial Revolution heritage as a World Heritage Site in 2015, is being reproduced with the promotion of Sado Mine for inclusion. The Sado Mine, registered on the World Heritage Tentative List in 2010, emphasized 'gold mine' to avoid overlap with the previously listed Iwami silver mine, taking into account the responses from neighboring countries. Additionally, the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) period was restricted to the pre-modern era. The Sado Mine, born in the mid-16th century with the discovery of the Tsurushi silver mine, became a major source of funds for the Edo Shogunate in the 17th century, undergoing development and expansion. Numerous silver and gold mines, including Tsurushi, Nishimikawa, and Aikawa, were developed as important mines for Sado Mine. Directly managed by the Edo Shogunate during the pre-modern period, Sado Mine was transferred to Mitsubishi in 1889. While it developed with the advent of the modern mining industry, its history was omitted from the process of being listed as a World Heritage site. The duality of Industrial Modernization during the imperial period, involving the forced mobilization of colonies and the history of Sado Mine, is intricately linked, and the conflict during the registration as a heritage of the Meiji Industrial Revolution in 2015 is being replayed. The limited OUV period for Sado Mine leads to a reduction and distortion of the existing historical consciousness (technology) that described the creation, prosperity, decline, and revival of Sado Mine. The restriction of OUV raises concerns about the authenticity and completeness of the heritage. The history covered by the OUV (Outstanding Universal Value) is limited to the Edo period, but the sites and relics reveal the reality of Sado Island since modern times. Analyzing excavation reports and application progress prepared by relevant departments in Japan so far, it is judged that the proposed heritage site area will extensively include facilities from the modern era. This is anticipated to lead to debates more focused on space than time. Additionally, a crucial aspect is whether each component can physically prove the OUV of the heritage. Furthermore, whether each component can physically prove the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the heritage is also a crucial aspect. Since the inclusion of the Meiji Industrial Revolution Heritage in 2015, 'conflict heritage' has become a significant topic in the World Heritage Committee. Even now, it is essential to focus on the 'possibility of healing' rather than the possibility of conflict in World Heritage, revealing without concealment the human rights abuses and inhumane exploitation of workers in the development of modern history. It is time to reconsider the purpose for existence of World Heritage, recognizing it as a part of human history.