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The Diplomat
25-07-2025
- General
- The Diplomat
The Bodhisattva and the Shrine: Cultural Repatriation and Diplomacy in Japan-South Korea Relations
Unresolved colonial histories and collective traumas continue to shape relations in East Asia through significant historical objects.A 14th-century gilt bronze statue of Kanzeon Bodhisattva was recently returned to Japan from South Korea, following a prolonged legal battle between the two countries over current ownership. The statue had been stolen from Japan's Kannon Temple in 2012 – but South Korea's Buseok Temple claimed to be its rightful owner, pointing out it had only made its way to Japan after being stolen from Korea centuries before. A 2023 court decision, which overturned a previous ruling in favor of Buseok Temple, stated that Kannon Temple had gained legal ownership of the statue through adverse possession. The judgment sparked backlash among Koreans who viewed it as rewarding historical theft. The international movement in favor of returning stolen cultural heritage is gaining momentum. While the pace of restitution remains uneven, governments, museums, and even private actors are increasingly responding. However, the return of looted artifacts is not just about righting historical wrongs; it is also a measure of cultural diplomacy and soft power. In this emerging landscape, the choices made by states and nonstate actors reveal what kind of long-term global values they seek to project. While many of the most widely known cases of stolen art persist in Europe, unresolved colonial histories and collective traumas continue to shape relations in East Asia through significant historical objects, such as the contested Bodhisattva statue, which is now housed at the Tsushima Museum. But not all repatriations have followed this uncertain path. South Korea recently welcomed back Gwanwoldang, a Joseon-era royal shrine building, which had stood in Japan for the last century. Choi Eung-chon, head of the Korean Heritage Service, praised the development as 'an exemplary case that actualizes the values of mutual respect and empathy through cultural heritage.' He added, 'We hope it will become a symbol of cultural solidarity and future-oriented cooperation between Korea and Japan.' The shrine was transported to Japan in 1924, during Japan's colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula. Though bilateral talks to give the shrine back to South Korea began in 2010, the handover gathered momentum once Japanese archaeologist and ethnologist Sato Takao stepped in with his full support after becoming chief priest of Kotoku-in Temple, where the shrine had been moved in the 1930s. Despite facing pressure from right-wing Japanese nationalists, Sato advocated for the return of Gwanwoldang throughout negotiations, citing both the shrine's historical origins and preservation benefits. He also personally financed the meticulous dismantling and transport of the structure. According to Sato, 'It is a global trend to return cultural heritage taken out during the imperialist era. What matters is the mindset.' Such examples of progressive leadership remain rare in the realm of repatriation, even while countries and communities increasingly demand accountability that goes beyond symbolic gestures. Museums and governments often refuse the repatriation of artifacts, for reasons ranging from conservation to 'universal' platforming, and legal ownership. By contrast, Sato's proactive repatriation demonstrates how nonstate actors can swiftly facilitate relationships and soft power through ethical choices that lay the groundwork for lasting diplomatic bridges and regional trust. Recovering such objects – whether seized, purchased, or gifted – typically relies on political will and legal channels, often straining diplomatic efforts during years of stalled negotiations. This can discourage diplomatic relations on other fronts, as potential allies become locked into avoidable ethical stalemates. With East Asia already heavy with colonial histories and implications, repatriation is a relatively accessible – if largely neglected – tool for geopolitical strategy. The case of the Bodhisattva statue exemplifies a fractured moment in Japan-South Korea relations, marked by theft on both sides as well as international norms that sidestep deeper issues of colonialism and imperialism. While ongoing battles for artifacts continue under comparable constraints throughout the world, Japan and South Korea also share heritage diplomacy successes that can serve as a model for such disputes. The Gwanwoldang shrine – currently in storage in Paju, South Korea and awaiting restoration – is an example of how artifacts of significance can not only be given back with mutual dignity and even admiration between actors, but how they can fuel further exchanges that would have been unlikely beforehand. During the official ceremony at the National Palace Museum in Seoul, Sato announced to the audience, 'We will discuss ways to raise a 100-million yen fund to support academic exchanges on Korean and Japanese cultural heritage and donate it to the Overseas Material Cultural Heritage Foundation. It took 24 years to completely return the Gwanwoldang to Korea. I'm proud to finish something important.'
Asahi Shimbun
13-05-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Stolen Buddhist artifact returns to Japan after 13 years abroad
The statue of the Kanzeon Bodhisattva resumes its place at Kannonji temple in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, on May 12. (Shinnosuke Ito) TSUSHIMA, Nagasaki Prefecture—A centuries-old Buddhist statue stolen from a temple here has finally returned home after 13 years, marking a significant moment for the local community. The statue of the Kanzeon Bodhisattva, a designated tangible cultural property of Nagasaki Prefecture, was stolen from Kannonji temple in 2012 by South Korean burglars. After a protracted legal battle spanning seven years, South Korean authorities officially handed over the statue, which was returned to the temple on May 12. About 40 people, including Tsushima Mayor Naoki Hitakatsu, attended a memorial service to celebrate the statue's return. Among them was Tatsuma Murase, head of the temple's parishioner group. Murase, 70, brought a photograph of his late father, Keizo, the group's leader at the time of the theft. "I was finally able to tell my father that the statue came back safely," he said. "Seeing it back in place brought me immense relief." To prevent future theft, the statue will be entrusted to the Tsushima Museum. It will be on special public display from May 16 to June 15. The statue was confiscated by the South Korean government after the thieves were arrested in 2013. Kannonji temple and the Japanese government requested the return of the bronze sculpture. However, a South Korean temple claimed ownership, arguing that the artifact was looted from Korea by Japanese pirates in medieval times. After prolonged court proceedings, South Korea's Supreme Court affirmed in 2023 that the Japanese temple is the statue's rightful owner. While recognizing the historical looting, the court acknowledged that the Japanese temple had possessed the statue long enough to establish legal ownership.
Japan Times
12-05-2025
- Japan Times
Stolen Buddha statue returned to Japanese temple after 12 years
A Buddha statue stolen in 2012 and taken to South Korea was returned to a temple on Tsushima, an island in Nagasaki Prefecture, on Monday. A ritual was held at Kannonji Temple to mark the return of the Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue after more than 12 years. It will be kept in a museum in Tsushima. The statue was stolen by a South Korean criminal group in October 2012, and was later recovered by the country's investigative authorities. However, a South Korean temple claimed ownership of the seated statue, insisting that it had been looted by "wako" Japanese pirates in the 14th century. In a lawsuit over the statue in South Korea, the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the statue belonged to the Japanese temple. The statue was handed over to the Japanese side in South Korea on Saturday and arrived in Tsushima in the early hours of Monday.
12-05-2025
Stolen Buddha Statue Returned to Japanese Temple after 12 Yrs
News from Japan Society May 12, 2025 17:42 (JST) Tsushima, Nagasaki Pref., May 12 (Jiji Press)--A Buddha statue stolen in 2012 and taken to South Korea was returned to a temple on Tsushima, an island in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Nagasaki, on Monday. A ritual was held at Kannoji Temple on the day to mark the return of the Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue after more than 12 years. It will be kept in a museum in Tsushima. The statue was stolen by a South Korean theft group in October 2012, and was later recovered by the country's investigative authorities. However, a South Korean temple claimed ownership of the seated statue, insisting that it had been looted by "wako" Japanese pirates in the 14th century. In a lawsuit over the statue in South Korea, the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the statue belonged to the Japanese temple. The statue was handed over to the Japanese side in South Korea on Saturday and arrived in Tsushima in the early hours of Monday. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
10-05-2025
- General
Stolen Buddha Statue Handed Over to Japan in South Korea
News from Japan World May 10, 2025 20:22 (JST) Seoul, May 10 (Jiji Press)--A Buddha statue stolen from a temple on Tsushima, an island in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Nagasaki, in 2012 was handed over to the Japanese side at a temple in Seosan, central South Korea, on Saturday, people familiar with the matter said. The Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue, designated as a tangible cultural asset by the Nagasaki prefectural government, will be transported to Japan by air, and a memorial service will be held at Kannonji Temple, where it was stolen, on Monday. In 2023, the South Korean Supreme Court recognized the Japanese temple's ownership of the statue, rejecting the claim by the South Korean temple, Buseoksa, that it was robbed of the statue by Japanese pirates in the 14th century. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
