TYRE: Japanese archaeologists of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon have completed the rehabilitation of Roman tombs in the Ramali region, east of the Southern coastal city of Tyre, Nader Siqlawi, representative of the Lebanese Directorate General of Antiquities, told The Daily Star Tuesday.

"The Japanese commission of archaeology has rehabilitated the walls of the TG04 roman cemetery and the paintings decorating them the way they were in the old ages, particularly the Roman period," Siqlawi said.

According to Siqlawi, the project was the result of a contract signed between the aforementioned commission and the Lebanese Culture Ministry.

"The contract has charged Japan's Nara University with finding the appropriate archaeologists and sending them to Lebanon," he said. "Rehabilitation works have been carried out in four years during which the Japanese and Lebanese specialists have conducted several studies and researches in this regard."

Professor Nishiyama Yoichi, who headed the commission, expressed his happiness for having worked in Lebanon, which he described as "the country of diversity, culture and civilization."

"We have rehabilitated that cemetery which is considered a witness to Roman civilization that is characterized by the diversity of colors, particularly green, red and blue," he said.