Iranian and Japanese heritage officials inked an agreement to hold an exhibition of 180 Persian artifacts in the museums of five Japanese cities, Iranian Cultural Heritage News Agency reported.

The Japanese royal family sponsors this exhibit to showcase the magnificence of the Iranian arts and history. Based on the contract, Iran’s National Museum will lend some 180 artifacts in 2006 to the Japanese side who has accepted to pay all the transport and insurance costs as well as a $300,000 royalty to Tehran.

The exhibition will be launched in Tokyo and then will tour 4 other Japanese cities for one contractual year, said Mohammad Reza Karegar, director of Iran’s National Museum.

Japanese experts estimate over 2,500 people will visit the Iranian exhibit each day.