List of World Heritage Sites in Japan

The List of World Heritage Sites in Japan is a group of places chosen by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
History.
UNESCO was created for the "conservation and protection of the world’s inheritance of books, works of art and monuments of history and science". The constitution of UNESCO was ratified in 1946 by 26 countries.
Japan agreed to take part in the World Heritage Convention on 30 June 1992.
List.
The World Heritage Site (WHS) list has developed over time. It is part of a process; and the list continues to grow.
As of 2012, there are 16 WHS places in Japan. 
There are 12 sites which are on a tentative list.
Tentative List.
The Tentative List consists of sites which have been nominated. The evaluation process is not yet completed.
In January 2012 the Japanese government requested the inscription of the tentative sites of Kamakura and Mount Fuji in 2013, with plans to request the inscription in 2014 of The Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage. The Amami and Ryūkyū Islands (Yanbaru) have been selected for nomination as a joint fifth Natural Site and a study panel is to be formed to consider a sixth candidate site.