• A Unesco advisory body has recommended adding Japan’s island of Okinoshima, a men-only ancient religious site in Fukuoka prefecture, to its World Heritage list.
• The advisory body, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), notified Japan of its decision.
• If approved, the island, which is part of the prefecture’s Munakata region, will be the 17th set of Japanese cultural assets to be granted World Heritage status, taking the total number of Japanese assets on the list to 21.
• Okinoshima still follow strict taboos from ancient times, including the controversial ban on women from entering the island.
• Men setting foot on the island are first required to strip all clothes and perform a cleansing ritual.
• It was also the site of successful exchanges with the people of the Korean Peninsula and China between the fourth and ninth centuries.

Source: The Hindu