Japan said Thursday that it welcomes the news that its traditional cuisine, washoku, has been registered on UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 's (UNESCO) Intangible Heritage List, hoping it could attract more visitors to Japan.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Thursday that the news is "delightful" and Japan "sincerely welcome" it, adding the traditional cuisine embodies Japan's spirit of respecting nature.

The Japanese government's proposal was approved by UNESCO at a meeting of its Intergovernmental Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday, making washoku the 22nd Japanese asset to be listed on the intangible heritage list, which also covers Japan's Kabuki, Noh and Bunraku.

Japan's Agriculture Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also said the registration will be "a major tailwind to spread Japanese food overseas," adding it is "not a goal but a start," according to local media.