TOKYO (AP) — A 14th century Korean Buddhist statue stolen from a Japanese temple nearly 13 years ago was returned on Monday, following a yearslong legal battle between Japan and South Korea over ...

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 ...

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 time of both misinformation and too ...

A 14th-century Buddhist statue of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, stolen from Japan's Kannonji temple in 2012, sits at Buseok Temple in Seosan, South Korea, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP ...