Shuri Castle, a 500-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, was gutted in a blaze last week.
Describing this iconic castle as "the pride of Okinawa," Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe pledged Wednesday to make all out efforts to secure the funding and other resources necessary to rebuild it "as quickly as possible".
Local police and fire authorities said the blaze was likely caused by a faulty electric distribution board.
Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe pledged Wednesday to make all out efforts to secure the funding and other resources necessary to rebuild an iconic castle in Okinawa that was gutted in a blaze last week.
Speaking to relevant ministers in a meeting Wednesday and describing Shuri Castle as "the pride of Okinawa," Abe said that reconstructing the buildings as quickly as possible is paramount.
"The government intends to do all it can including securing necessary funds to reconstruct the castle buildings as quickly as possible," the Japanese leader said.
"We will also listen to the opinions of Okinawa Prefecture and its people," Abe added.
The previous day, local police and fire authorities said the blaze that engulfed the main structures at the UNESCO World Heritage site in Naha city, was likely caused by a faulty electric distribution board.
