On May 1, Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs announced it had received notification that Mount Fuji had been recommended for World Heritage status by the UNESCO-affiliated International Council on Monuments and Sites. Formal approval is expected at the World Heritage Committee meeting in Cambodia next month.
Mount Fuji will thus become Japan's 13th World Heritage Site. The first two, Nara's Horyuji Temple and Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, were designated 20 years ago.
In addition to its scenic beauty, the 3,776-meter-high mountain's lower slopes boast exceptional biodiversity, attracting visitors year-round for leisure and sports activities.