Kamakura Mayor Takashi Matsuo said Monday he will ask the Cultural Affairs Agency to drop its recommendation to list the ancient city in Kanagawa Prefecture on the World Heritage list.
Kamakura was the seat of a samurai government from the late 12th to 14th centuries that nurtured cultural legacies that include the tea ceremony and Zen rituals.
The remarks by the mayor came after the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization advisory panel rejected Japan's request to list the city, citing scarce assets linked to the influence of the samurai class.
"It is highly likely Kamakura will not be registered," Matsuo told a municipal assembly meeting. "We'd like to try again after canceling the request for now."
If UNESCO's World Heritage Committee decided in June not to register Kamakura, it would be impossible for the city to try again. The city has therefore decided to cancel the request for the time being.
