
A Buddhist statue that was stolen from Kannonji Temple on Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture
17:05 JST, October 26, 2023
SEOUL (Jiji Press) — South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a Buddhist statue stolen from a Japanese temple in 2012 belongs to the temple, dismissing an appeal for ownership filed by a South Korean temple.
The ownership of the statue went to Kannonji Temple on the island of Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture by acquisitive prescription in 1973, the top court said, concluding that Buseok Temple in the South Korean city of Seosan lost the ownership.
Buseok Temple filed the appeal after its claims of ownership was dismissed by Daejeon High Court in a reversal from a lower court ruling that recognized the South Korean temple’s ownership.
The Supreme Court, however, ruled that Buseok Temple is the same as the temple that created the statue in the 14th century, denying the high court’s decision that there were not enough documents to prove that they are identical.
The statue was stolen from Kannonji Temple and smuggled into South Korea by a South Korean group of thieves. The Japanese government has been asking for the return of the statue, which is a designated cultural property of Nagasaki.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Typhoon Nari Approaching Japan’s Kanto Region; Heavy Rain, Strong Wind Expected on Monday
-
Over 300 Earthquakes Rumble in Sea Off Japan’s Kagoshima Pref. Islands, Putting Residents on Alert
-
Typhoon Sepat Forms near Ogasawara Islands
-
M5.1 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture Islands
-
46-year-old Man Killed by Bear in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture; 2nd Man Sustained Minor Injuries
JN ACCESS RANKING
-
5-Kilogram Bag of Rice Price Falls Below ¥4,000: 1st Time in 4 Months
-
Japan’s Agriculture Ministry Starts Survey of Rice Farmers Across Japan on Production Outlook
-
Japan’s Core Inflation Hits 2-year High, Keeps Rate-Hike Bets Alive
-
Japan to Collaborate with 3 European Countries on Infrastructure Development; Will Work With Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic to Build Railroads, Energy Systems
-
Typhoon Nari Approaching Japan’s Kanto Region; Heavy Rain, Strong Wind Expected on Monday