Foreign experience in protecting old buildings

Japan

All local governments in Japan have taken all kinds of measures to establish a fire fighting system for protecting cultural relics. This is done under the guidance of Japan's central government departments since the Cultural Heritage Department was first established in Kyoto in 1973. An official was assigned to be in charge of cultural relics in the Fire Department.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan, the authority responsible for cultural relics, highlighted the fire-fighting measures and cooperated with the Fire Management Agency to authorize local education authorities to investigate the fire-fighting systems and related issues.

Actions such as these can explain why ancient wooden buildings in Japan are well protected for thousands of years.