Shuri Castle Fire: Cause Of Fire Finally Determined And Will It Be Rebuilt

A fire engulfed the historic Shuri castle on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa on Thursday. The structure, which symbolizes the ancient Ryukyu kingdom and the island’s recovery from the second world war, has been, more or less, destroyed by the raging fire that the firefighters got under control by 1:30 p.m.

As of now, there haven’t any reports of injuries but the nearby residents were evacuated while firefighters spent several hours attempting to bring the fire under control. Titled as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the castle has been a popular tourist spot and constructed presumably in 1429, under the Ryuku Kingdom, which ended in the late 1800s.

More recently, the castle has come to symbolize Okinawa’s struggle to overcome the devastation of war. More than 200,000 Americans and Japanese, including around a quarter of Okinawa’s civilian population, died during a fierce 82-day battle from April to June 1945. The island is still home to a large number of U.S. military bases.

As the headquarters of the imperial Japanese army, Shuri Castle was, relentlessly, shelled by U.S. forces, who occupied the island until it reverted to Japanese control in 1972, two decades after the rest of Japan regained full independence. The castle was extensively restored and reopened as a national park in 1992.

What caused the fire?

Initial reports revealed that the security company alarm went off at around 2.30 in the morning and that the fire apparently started at the main temple, and was quickly spreading. The latest reports though have revealed that arson has been ruled out and that authorities are instead blaming possible powerline trouble. Eye witness testimonies have led the authorities to believe that the fire started at the main hall's left backside due to something going wrong with the electrical system.

Fingers were initially pointed at the possible overload of electricity caused by the setting up for a theatrical performance at the courtyard of the main temple - but this was ruled out, too.

Will the castle be restored to its former glory?

In the past, the castle has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, especially after the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, when Japanese army and its allies bombed it for three days before it went up in flames. The castle was restored in 1992 as a national park and in 2000 it was designated as the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Japanese government has promised to rebuild the Shuri Castle, a historical landmark of the country. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said: "It is part of the Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park. The government will do its best to rebuild the castle.”