MOAI RESTORATION PROJECT

The first survey mission to Easter Island

TADANO received a positive answer from Jorge Martinez Busch, Admiral of the Chilean Navy, in June 1991. The present problem was solved.
So we sent out a mission to Easter island to make arrangements with the Chilean Government and to survey the island. But we still faced two more problems.

In addition to being a national treasure, Moai statues are a cultural heritage on a global scale. It was therefore important, not only to erect them, but also to follow proper archaeological procedure. So first, we had to organize an archaeological team in Japan.

Second, the crane had to be disassembled to meet the size required by the Chilean Navy so that it could be carried by landing craft, not by air. In the beginning, the plan was to take the crane by military plane. But at the request of the Chilean Navy the plan was changed to load the crane into a landing craft and land on Anakena Bay. The reason for such a change was because there are few industries in Easter Island and therefore that the Chilean Navy had to provide islanders with necessities once every few months by ship. Transport by air will no doubt cost much more than by sea. The mission returned to Japan with these new problems and took action to solve them immediately.