Chapter 3. For the Protection and Utilization of Cultural Properties
�3 Promotion of the Preservation and Utilization of Cultural Properties
5. Buried Cultural Properties
(3) Buried cultural property investigation centers
Owing to the recent rapid development of land, there has been a great increase in the number of areas excavated for the purpose of unearthing cultural properties, and thus an enormous increase in the number of cultural properties that have been discovered.
In response to this, buried cultural property investigation centers have been established as bases for excavation and research by local governments. Beginning with a center established in Takatsuki City. Osaka Prefecture in 1974, 44 such centers are scheduled to be set up throughout the country by the end of fiscal 1993. The Agency for Cultural Affairs provides these centers with financial assistance. In order to contribute to the improvement of the quality of local government personnel engaged in dealing with buried cultural properties, various kinds of training programs concerning excavation are also conducted at the Buried Cultural Property Center in the Nara National Research Institute of Cultural Properties. In addition to the enrichment of excavation and research, local governments are building centers for the safekeeping of archaeological artifacts to deal with deterioration of unearthed cultural properties due to inadequate storage facilities. The alms of these facilities are to keep and provide concentrated care for these excavated objects, as well as to serve as a place to facilitate their public display.
