August 19, 2010

Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives member Kasai Akira visiting South Korea on August 17 had talks with South Korean parliamentarians from ruling and opposition parties over Korea’s royal ceremony protocols.

Kasai referred to Prime Minister Kan Naoto’s recent statement that the Japanese government intends to hand over to South Korea the protocols of Korean royal ceremonies presently held by Japan. He said that the JCP wishes that the Korean dynastic ceremonial protocols and other invaluable cultural artifacts be restored to South Korea in accordance with the spirit of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) treaty calling for all cultural artifacts to be returned to their countries of origin.

Lee Hae Bong, national committee chairperson of the Grand National Party, said that the Japanese prime minister specifically referring to the Korean dynastic ceremonial protocols is highly significant. He hoped that the restoration of the artifacts would help the bilateral relations to change for the better.

JCP Kasai’s visit to South Korea has been made at the invitation of a South Korean non-governmental organization concerned with the royal ceremonial protocols.
- Akahata, August 19, 2010