I am truly delighted at the inscription of “The Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region” on the World Heritage List.

People have been praying for maritime safety since ancient times. In exchanges between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean Peninsula and the Asian continent, rituals offered to pray for maritime safety were performed from the 4th to the 9th centuries.

On the island of Okinoshima, archeological remains of ancient rituals have been preserved intact until the present, and worship of the “Sacred Island” has also been sustained continuously as historical culture.

From now, we must continue to cherish and preserve the island of Okinoshima as well as the worship of the island and hand these down to the next generation.

I wish to express my deep respect to all those involved in their conservation until now. I have renewed my determination to preserve this cultural heritage, which is a treasure for not only Japan but also the world.

July 9, 2017
Shinzo Abe
Prime Minister of Japan