Oct. 1, 2009 (The Yomiuri Shimbun) -- A UNESCO intergovernmental committee decided Wednesday to add 13 cultural assets proposed by the Japanese government, including gagaku court music and dance, to the list of the world's representative intangible cultural heritage.

The committee made its first decision on what to include in the list based on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Seventy-six assets in 28 nations have been placed on the list so far.

Since the aim of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list is to raise global awareness of cultural diversity, its selection criteria do not include whether a given cultural asset proposed for the list has universal value--in contrast to the judging standards set for World Heritage Sites.

Of the 14 Japanese cultural assets that the government suggested be added to the list, the intergovernmental committee advised Japan to exclude the craft of repairing wooden sculptures from its proposal because the committee deemed insufficient information was provided concerning how the craft has been passed down from one generation to another.

The government duly removed the craft from its proposal. It plans to recommend it for inclusion in the list at a later date.

The 13 cultural assets placed on the list are:

-- Gagaku.

-- Ojiya-chijimi and Echigo-jofu hemp textiles of Niigata Prefecture.

-- Sekishu-banshi paper of Shimane Prefecture.

-- Hitachi (NYSE:HIT) Furyumono, a festival float and puppet play of Ibaraki Prefecture.

-- The Gion Festival's yamahoko parade.

-- The Toshidon folk god event of Koshikijima island in Kagoshima Prefecture.

-- The Aenokoto event to make offerings to the rice paddy god of the Okunoto region in Ishikawa Prefecture.

-- Hayachine Kagura, a performance of sacred Shinto music and dance, of Iwate Prefecture.

-- Taue-odori, a dance to pray for a good harvest, of Sendai's Akiu district.

-- Chakkirako, a girls dance to pray for good catches of fish and business success, of Kanagawa Prefecture.

-- Dainichido-bugaku court music and dance of Akita Prefecture.

-- Daimokutate Shinto rituals of Nara Prefecture.

-- Ainu traditional dance.