Twenty-two historic artifacts that were looted after the Battle of Okinawa in World War II have been returned to Japan after a family from Massachusetts discovered them in their late father’s personal items in an attic, according to the FBI.
The collection included six painted scrolls from the 18th and 19th centuries, a hand-drawn map of Okinawa dating to the 19th century and various pieces of pottery and ceramics, the FBI Boston Field Office said Friday.
A typewritten letter detailed the collection process and confirmed they were looted during the last days of World War II. The artifacts had been considered missing for over 80 years.
In 2001, the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education registered some of the artifacts with the FBI’s National Stolen Art File, a database of art and cultural property that law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad have reported stolen to the FBI.
The family found the artifacts while they were sorting through the belongings of their deceased father in an attic. He was a World War II veteran, although he never served in the Pacific Theater. They contacted authorities after they researched the items and determined that some of them were in the National Stolen Art File.
“This is what makes a culture. And without it, you’re taking away their history,” said Special Agent Geoffrey Kelly, the art crime coordinator for the FBI in Boston. “It’s really important for us as stewards of artifacts and cultural patrimony to make every effort that we can to see that these go back to the civilizations and the cultures in the countries where they belong.”
The FBI was able to authenticate the artworks, and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Asian Art examined the artifacts to ensure they were properly packed before their return to Japan.
“This case highlights the important role the public plays in recognizing and reporting possible stolen art. We’d like to thank the family from Massachusetts who did the right thing in reaching out to us and relinquishing these treasures so we could return them to the people of Okinawa,” Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division, said in a statement.
On Friday, Denny Tamaki, the governor of Okinawa prefecture, announced the return of the artifacts to the people of Okinawa, according to the FBI.
