One piece, first bought by a company in southern Japan, went to a financial firm as collateral when the original company went bankrupt and then to a foreign firm when the financial firm was bought out in its turn. One Tokyo museum devoted to traditional Japanese prints said its visitors were down 10 percent over the last 18 months. Museum director Hideo Namba said there were many reasons, but acknowledged the economy played a part. The economic gloom is also putting a damper on what is shown, especially in company-sponsored museums like Saison. Old standbys like the Impressionists always pack them in,'' commentator Kochiro Ishizaki said.
National museums share the pain.
An official at Japan's Education Ministry, which administers four museums, said constraints imposed by tight allocations from the national budget have meant one museum had to delay building a new display area for around five years. Work finally began late last year. But the ministry official said this was only possible because French authorities were paying the costs for transporting and exhibiting the painting as a goodwill gesture.