Stolen Buddhist Statue Returns Home After 12 Years

May 11, 2025 | News On Japan

NAGASAKI - A stolen Buddhist statue from Tsushima was returned to Japan on May 10th, marking a significant step toward resolving a diplomatic dispute that has strained Japan-South Korea relations for over a decade.

The seated statue of Kannon Bosatsu, designated as a tangible cultural property by Nagasaki Prefecture, had been stolen from Kannonji Temple in Tsushima City and illegally taken to South Korea. It was handed over to Japanese officials at Buseoksa Temple in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, where it had been kept.

The statue is scheduled to return to Tsushima on May 12th. Before the handover, a final Buddhist memorial service was held at Buseoksa, attended by Tanaka Setsuko, the former head priest of Kannonji.

The statue’s return comes 12 and a half years after the theft, which had become a symbol of tension between the two nations. With this development, the long-standing dispute is finally moving toward resolution.

Source: Kyodo

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