
The final decision on whether or not to register will be decided at the Intergovernmental Committee held in Xiamen, China from November 30th to December 5th.
AI-generated summary
Japan applied for the registration of calligraphy to UNESCO in March 2024, but new applications in Japan, which have a large number of registrations, are only reviewed once every two years, so the calligraphy was not subject to review in 2025, so it had to reapply. Japan's intangible cultural heritage that has already been registered includes Kabuki, Japanese cuisine, washi paper, and traditional sake brewing. Japan is also aiming to register ``kagura'' and ``hot spring culture.''
The Agency for Cultural Affairs announced on the 5th that UNESCO's evaluation agency has recommended that ``calligraphy'' be registered as an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The final decision on whether or not to register will be made at an intergovernmental committee scheduled to be held in Xiamen, China, from November 30th to December 5th.
If the new registration is realized, it will be the 24th since 2024. Japan's intangible cultural heritage that has already been registered includes Kabuki, Japanese cuisine, washi paper, and traditional sake brewing.
In March 2024, the government applied for registration of calligraphy with UNESCO. However, in Japan, where there are a large number of new registrations, examinations are only done once every two years, so the company was not subject to the 2025 examination, so it had to reapply. Japan is also aiming to register ``kagura'' and ``hot spring culture.''
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, calligraphy is the act of expressing letters using traditional brush strokes and techniques using brushes, ink, suzuri, paper, etc. In addition to kanji, kana, and calligraphy that mixes kanji and kana, it also includes seal engraving, which is the carving of characters on seal material.

An autumn garden party was held at Akasaka Gyoen National Garden, and Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress invited 1,371 distinguished people from various fields, including Miyuki Miyabe, Kotaro Yoshida, and Takuya Onishi. Guests dressed in kimonos, gagaku music, and chrysanthemums in the flower beds convey the feeling of a different world away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Japanese tourists have begun visiting filming locations in Azerbaijan, where the sequel to the TBS drama "VIVANT" was filmed. The travel agency's tours were doing well, but Sanrio ended the collaboration after receiving criticism in China.

The Sannomaru Shozokan of the Imperial Palace was fully opened on the 3rd, and a special commemorative exhibition was held, displaying items such as the Raden Shidan Biwa from the Shosoin collection. Starting from February next year, 30 paintings of Ito Jakuchu's ``Animals and Vegetables'' will be exhibited all at once. A major rest area next door will also open, and the first cafe in the Imperial Palace will be opened.

British actor Patrick Stewart, known for his roles in Star Trek and the X-Men series, passed away on the 28th at his home in Los Angeles. 86 years old.

Following the death of manga artist Tetsuya Chiba, sadness is spreading in the Yamaya district of Tokyo, where his masterpiece ``Ashita no Joe'' was set, and in Asahi City, Chiba Prefecture, where he spent his childhood. Words of gratitude and condolences were received from those involved.

Tetsuya Chiba, known for his masterpiece ``Ashita no Joe'' and the first manga artist to receive the Order of Culture, died on the 22nd at a hospital in Tokyo due to myelodysplastic syndrome. 87 years old.