NAHA -- Problems with the electrical system are the likely cause of the fire at the Shuri Castle in Naha on Oct. 31, reported the Naha Fire Department on Wednesday.
An electrical device, which was burnt on the inside, was recovered on the northeast side of the Seiden main hall, where the fire is believed to have originated. The Okinawa prefectural police and the fire department are studying the electrical device as the possible cause of the fire in an ongoing investigation.
Part of the basement of the castle, which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, was possibly damaged in the fire. However, the damage is quite minor and is thought to have very little impact on the value of the site, according to the Okinawa prefectural board of education.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki has said he plans to draw up a reconstruction plan for the castle by May 2022, which falls on the 50th anniversary of the returning of Okinawa Prefecture to Japan from the United States.
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