Japanese parliament passes treaty on return of Korean books

Japan’s House of Representatives passed a bilateral treaty with Korea on the repatriation of 1,205 historical Korean books, including royal protocols from the Joseon Dynasty stolen under Japanese colonial rule of Korea.

The treaty has yet to be ratified by the main assemblies of the House of Representatives and the Upper House, but is expected to win ratification because both the ruling and opposition parties excluding the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party support it.

Diplomatic sources predict that some of the books will likely be repatriated as early as May 21 or 22, when President Lee Myung-bak visits Tokyo for a trilateral summit with China and Japan. All of the books will likely be returned to Korea by June at the latest.

changkim@donga.com