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Introduction Procedure List of Contents Appendices Photo/Map Sitemap History

Main Contents begins from here.

VITAL DATA ON THE TOTAL PROJECT

DESIGNATION

TIME CAPSULE EXPO '70

BURIAL SITE

Osaka Castle Park, Banba-cho, Higashi-ku, Osaka, Japan.

Latitude : 34º40'58"526 North
Longitude : 135º31'42"718 East
Due North : +0º16'5"8
Altitude : 31.159 metres

DEPTH OF BURIAL

Capsule N0.1: 11.4 metres
Capsule N0.2: 7.5 metres

Measured from surface of monument plinth to top of protective concrete enclosure in each case.

MONUMENT

A stainless steel semi-sphere on a portland stone plinth. An inscription reads EXPO '70 TIME CAPSULE.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPENING

In a stainless steel cylinder beneath the monument.

DATE OF BURIAL

Capsule N0.1 : January 20th, 1971 AD
Capsule N0.2 : January 28th, 1971 AD

DATE OF UNEARTHING

Capsule N0.1 : 6970 AD
Capsule N0.2 : 2000 AD (followed by reburial; the process to be repeated every 100 years thereafter until 6970 AD)

CONSTRUCTION OF CAPSULES

Shape : Spherical, 1metre internal diameter
Capacity : 500,000cm³ (approx.)
Weight
: 1.74 metric tons (empty)
2.12 metric tons (with contents)
Shell thickness : 35mm-70mm
Material : NTK-22AT (nickel-chrome base stainless steel)
Finish : Sandblast
Method of manufacture : Reverse-casting
Method of sealing : Electric welding (inner and outer lids)
Internal configuration : 29 stainless steel compartments
Internal atmosphere : Argon gas

CONTENTS

Artefacts, scientific specimens, records and documents subjected to various preservation techniques: 2,098 items in all.

Breakdown of contents by category :

Natural Science : 742 items
Social Science : 686 items
The Arts : 592 items
Miscellaneous : 78 items

Records :

Printed matter : Newspapers, magazines, books, Ieaflets, etc.
Special techniques : Microbook, stainless steel etchings, silicon etchings
Film : Microfilm, dye-transfer colour photographs, 16-mm motion picture film
Paintings : Picture scrolls using special pigments
Sound : Magnetic tape, gold-plated phonograph records

Principles of acquisition :

  1. Purchase through normal retail channels
  2. Special objects donated or obtained through other channels
  3. Most popular type or brand in case of objects widely available
  4. Whenever possible, acquisition of four of each item

Recording devices :

Plutonium timekeeper (one in each capsule)
Maximum-minimum thermometer (one above each capsule)

REPLICA SITES

  1. 1) Osaka City Museum, Osaka Castle Park, Osaka
  2. 2) Matsushita House of History, Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Kadoma, Osaka

PROJECT COST

¥200 million (approx.)

PROJECT SPONSORS

The Mainichi Newspapers
Matsushita Electric Industrial Company

JAPANESE COOPERATING BODIES :

The Prime Minister's Office
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Education
The Ministry of International Trade & Industry
The Science and Technology Agency
The Japan Association for the Japan World Exposition, 1970 Osaka Prefectural Government
The City of Osaka

CUSTODIAN :

The Ministry of Education, Japan


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The contents of this site are excerpted from THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF TIME CAPSULE EXPO'70(March 1975). Please note that company and organization names may differ from those of the current ones.


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