Kishida: Work to rebuild Shuri Castle to begin in Nov.

Jiji Press

12:57 JST, May 16, 2022

NAHA (Jiji Press) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that work to rebuild the Seiden main hall of fire-struck Shuri Castle in Okinawa Prefecture will start in November.

Kishida revealed this in talks with reporters at the Shuri Castle park in Naha.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction work will likely be held on Nov. 3. The government plans to complete the restoration of Seiden in autumn 2026, aiming to speed up the full reconstruction of the landmark castle in Okinawa, including its Hokuden and Nanden halls.

Kishida said Shuri Castle, which was destroyed by the October 2019 fire, “is what people in Okinawa rely on for their identity and [are] proud of, and also a historic cultural asset for the country.”

“We will work with responsibility for the restoration of the castle,” he added.

Kishida also met with people involved in the restoration work. “It is important that the restoration process will serve as an opportunity to transfer related techniques and tradition” to future generations, he said.