Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > Japanese Government Policies in Education, Science, Sports and Culture 2000 > Part 1 Chapter 4 Section 3 3

The current system of protecting cultural properties is based on several legislative initiatives. This legislation includes the 1913 Law Concerning Historical Monuments, the 1930 Law for the Protection of Natural Monuments and Artistic, Historical, Academic, Legendary, or Picturesque Landscapes, the 1941 Law Concerning Regulations of Archaeological Excavation, and the 1973 Law Concerning Urban Planning. These laws have undergone various revisions that have led to the current system.

This law addresses immovable and movable properties that require preservation from historical and artistic standpoints. Immovable properties include not only buildings and spots holding relics, but also immovable properties within 500 meters of the designated immovable properties. The French government takes measures to protect important immovable properties within this extended area.

Changing the status of a designated property is restricted, but when a property needs repairing, the French government may give orders to repair the property and provide government subsidies for up to fifty percent of the total cost.

The Ministry of Culture may also register immovable and movable properties on a supplementary list that requires no immediate designation but that highlights the property for preservation through a ministerial ordinance. This protective measure supplements the French government's selective policy by designation.

This law stipulates that the French government may designate natural monuments and landscapes to be preserved or maintained due to their universal value from an artistic, historical, academic, legendary, or picturesque standpoint. The French government takes various protective measures such as restricting changes of their status.

This law focuses on the protection of buried cultural properties. All excavations and exploratory drillings require official permission, except for those spearheaded by the government. Those excavations which receive official permission may proceed only under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Communication.

The 1973 Law Concerning Urban Planning provides for a protection system that is equivalent to the Japanese system for the protection for traditional building districts. This law designates as protected areas specific locations that have historical and artistic characteristics, or buildings within these specific areas that may require preservation, renovation, or landscaping. The French government does not allow development within these protection areas unless it follows long-term planning guidelines stipulated by a government decree. This law plays an important role in preserving historical areas in urban planning.