The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima City is set to be designated as a Special Historic Site of Japan.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs told the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on June 20 that the establishment should be designated as a Special Historic Site of Japan.

The move comes ahead of the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing.

The “Genbaku Dome” was built in 1915. It was the only structure left standing in the area when the atomic bomb was dropped approximately 160 meters away from the building on August 6, 1945.

The dome was evaluated that it retains the appearance it had at the time of the bombing, and has become a symbol of the devastation caused by the first atomic bomb dropped in human history.

If the site is registered as a Special Historic Site of Japan, it will be the first modern historic site since the Meiji era.