Japanese cultural artifacts controversy

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Japan has been known as a "haven for stolen artifacts", it wasn't until 1999 when Japanese Ambassador Koichiro Matsuura was appointed director-general of UNESCO that Japan thought about signing the UNESCO convention agreement to return stolen artifacts.

Cultural assets from China, porcelain from Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines can be found in Japan. In a summit meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea asked Japan to return stolen artifacts taken between 1910 and 1945. Japan has rejected this request. There are an estimated 200,000 Korean artifacts alone in Japan which cannot be designated as UNESCO world treasures until they are returned or proper protocol can be measured. The cultural bureau at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, said: ``I do not know much about North Korea, but in general, if a former colony requests the return of certain cultural assets, the former suzerain may be bound to comply. It is a moral obligation that is in accordance with the spirit of the UNESCO convention." In 1965, a treaty was signed between South Korea and Japan but did not cover this issue. But Japan did return 1321 stolen articles to South Korea at that time. Many Korean historians still need to travel to Japan to study ancient Korean documents.

Vast majority of these issues are still unresolved with multiple countries like China, South Korea, North Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Some advocates want an estimated 200,000 Korean artifacts in Japan to be designated as "UNESCO world treasures". These advocates assert that these "stolen" artifacts must "returned" to Korea.

In a summit meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea asked Japan to return stolen artifacts taken between 1910 and 1945. Japan has rejected this request. [needs reference]

Artifacts from nations other than Korea are also sought by historians and cultural advocates. Some assert that these artifactes were "stolen", i.e., cultural assets from China, porcelain from Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines, and on this basis demand their "return" to their countries of origin.

Many Korean historians have requested permission to visit Japan to study ancient Korean documents, but have been denied visas. [needs reference]

In 1965, a treaty was signed between South Korea and Japan which did not address the artifacts issue, but Japan did return 1321 stolen articles to South Korea at that time. [needs reference]

In 1999 when Japanese Ambassador Koichiro Matsuura was appointed director-general of UNESCO, Japan began to consider signing the UNESCO convention agreement regarding the return of "stolen artifacts". [treaty reference]

Toshiyuki Kono, said:

"Signing the convention is a matter of proving your 'class' as a nation. Up to now, Japanese were sorely short on sensitivity. In their eyes, cultural assets were on par with general trade products. Japan did not feel they were protecting irreplaceable treasures." [1]

The cultural bureau at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, said: ``I do not know much about North Korea, but in general, if a former colony requests the return of certain cultural assets, the former suzerain may be bound to comply. It is a moral obligation that is in accordance with the spirit of the UNESCO convention." [needs reference]

See: