The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has included a group of archaeological sites from the Asuka period in the Japanese prefecture of Nara in the World Heritage List, the Foreign Ministry said. They include the ruins of the Asuka Palace, where the residence of Emperor Tenmu was supposedly located, and the Takamatsuzuka mound, famous for its ornate colored frescoes. The Foreign Ministry promised to continue close cooperation with international organizations so that "people around the world can understand the value and attractiveness of World Heritage sites" on Japanese territory. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi congratulated her compatriots and promised to do everything to protect and preserve Japan's cultural heritage sites. After the new site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the total number of such monuments, both man-made and natural, in Japan reached 27.