July 7, 2005

Following a competitive bidding process, Kanematsu Corporation had been invited to engage in contract negotiations with the Iranian government’s Agency for Cultural and Archaeological Tourism regarding the provision of materials for the restoration and preservation of culturally important relics at Ancient Bam, close to the modern city of Bam, which was devastated by a major earthquake December 26, 2003 that killed more than 26,000 people.
The two sides recently signed a contract for the provision of Japan-made materials and equipment including scaffolding, slope stabilizers, hydraulic excavators and wheel-loaders, forklift trucks, and others, at a total cost of approximately \100 million (US$900,000). The goods are to be loaded onto an Iran-bound ship in October of this year. The contract also includes provision for indirect assistance for the Iranians’ restoration work, including the dispatch of experts from Japan.
The ruins of the ancient city of Bam, in the southeast of Iran, date back to the Sassanid Dynasty (227-651 CE), and the city is said to have reached roughly its present form in the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736). After Afghan forces attacked and took the city in the early eighteenth century, followed by a later attack from the direction of Shiraz in the early nineteenth century, the Ancient City was abandoned, remaining for many years an uninhabited area surrounded by impressive walls.
On December 26, 2003 an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit southeastern Iran. In addition to the massive damage caused to the modern city and surrounding areas, the earthquake also caused immense destruction to sites of archaeological interest in Ancient Bam. UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) immediately took steps to include the site on its World Heritage list, and also cooperated with the Iranian authorities in restoration work.
The government of Iran has designated the restoration and preservation of Ancient Bam as a high-priority project, and restoration work is currently ongoing. In response to a request by the Iranian government, the government of Japan extended a gratis contribution through the UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund for the Preservation of the World Cultural Heritage.
Kanematsu Corporation will continue to make effective use of its extensive overseas network of business bases to provide assistance to countries that have suffered damage due to natural disasters such as earthquakes.