The Verbalization of Built Heritage Conservation Principles and Their Recognition in Japan, as Seen in Translations of the Venice Charter

This paper explores the implicit understandings of architectural preservation held by Japanese academics and experts who were involved in the early translation of the Venice Charter. It also seeks to shed light on the development of Japan’s international relations through the activities of heritage conservation professionals and their reception of emerging international norms. The study builds upon the work of the Japan ICOMOS Charter Subcommittee (2022–2024), drawing on newly identified materials - most notably two distinct translation manuscripts of the Venice Charter by Masaru SEKINO and Kishiro IIDA - archived at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.