The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed the retrieval of 22 Japanese cultural artefacts found in an attic in Massachusetts, United States.

In January 2023, Special Agent Geoffrey J. Kelly of the FBI Boston Field Office received a report regarding a collection of Asian art discovered in a private residence. The residence previously belonged to a deceased World War II veteran, and his family came across the treasures while sorting through their father’s possessions.

The FBI, in collaboration with the National Stolen Art File, has successfully recovered 22 cultural artefacts originally from Okinawa, Japan. This collection included six painted scrolls dating from the 18th to 19th centuries, which were already documented in the National Stolen Art File, along with a 19th-century hand-drawn map of Okinawa, and various pottery and ceramic pieces.

The discovery also included a typewritten letter confirming that the cache was looted during the closing days of World War II when these treasures and documents from the Ryukyu Kingdom (AD 1429–1879) were stolen amidst the Battle of Okinawa.

Kelly emphasised the significance of these artefacts, “This is what makes a culture. And without it, you’re taking away their history. And the surest way to eliminate a culture is to eliminate their past. And so, it’s really important for us as stewards of artefacts and cultural patrimony to make every effort that we can to see that these go back to the civilisations and the cultures in the countries where they belong.”

The National Museum of Asian Art collaborated with the FBI to ensure that the artefacts were appropriately prepared for transportation and repatriation to Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. On receiving the artefacts, an official handover ceremony was conducted in Okinawa, with Denny Tamaki, the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture.

Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge of FBI Boston, emphasised the crucial role of the public in identifying and reporting potentially 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 Japan,” she said.