THE ROLES OF NATIONAL MUSEUMS IN JAPANESE SOCIETY

Mr. Masami Zeniya, Executive Director, National Museum

INTRODUCTION the four museums of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage are usually considered the National museums in can be epitome of national museums in Japan because divided into three main categories based on their of their long histories and the circumstances of management: those managed directly by the their creation. In this paper, I will discuss the government, Independent Administrative Insti- role of these museums and that of the Tokyo Image courtesy of Tokyo National Museum tutions, and Inter-University Research Institute National Museum in particular. Corporations. The frst category includes, for example, the Agency for Cultural Afairs’ Na- 1. NATIONAL MUSEUMS AS INDEPENDENT tional Archives of Modern Architecture, the ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS Imperial Household Agency’s Museum of the Imperial Collections, and museums at bases of Museums are considered institutions for the Japan Self-Defense Forces under the Min- social education under the Museum Act in Japan istry of Defense. Institutions belonging to the (1951). They are expected to carry out systematic second category were operated directly by the educational activities while maintaining polit- government. However, with the introduction of ical and religious neutrality. However, because the Independent Administrative Institution in they were originally established by the govern- 2001, three such institutions were established: ment, national museums are exempt from this National Museums (National Institutes for Cul- act. This does not deny their roles as educational tural Heritage from 2007), National Museums institutions. They are exempt because they were of Art, and National Museum of Nature and expected to carry out the nation’s educational Exhibit of Ainu Culture, Tokyo National Museum Image courtesy of Tokyo National Museum .1 The National Museum of Japanese and cultural policies as specialized institutions History and the National Museum of Ethnology belonging to the Ministry of Education, Science, culture, to the promotion of industry, and to tional Museums of Art (fve since 2007), and one fall into the third category. They were managed and Culture (later MEXT, and the Agency for the management of the Imperial Household’s National Museum of Nature and Science. Each directly by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Cultural Afairs). properties. The establishment of the National Independent Administrative Institution came Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), but Museum of Nature and Science in addition to be operated under a diferent law of estab- became Inter-University Research Institute The Tokyo National Museum was es- to National Museums of Art during this long lishment. Despite handling diferent felds, these Corporations as part of the National Institutes tablished in 1872 as a “Museum of the Ministry process allowed for diferent felds to develop institutions share common roles as museums, for the Humanities when national universities of Education.” Authority over the museum was independently. as specifed by, for example, The International became independent of the government in 2004. later transferred to the Ministry of the Interior, Council of Museums (ICOM) and the Museum and later to the Ministry of Agriculture and From 2001, national museums, which Act in Japan. These roles include acquiring Japanese national museums were thus Commerce, the Imperial Household Ministry, had been based on the laws of the Ministry and preserving objects, making these objects established in a number of diverse forms through and other ministries and agencies. Likewise, the of Education and Science Establishment Act available for public viewing, and conducting various processes. As discussed, below, however, museum’s role also changed accordingly, from, (2001), became Independent Administrative research and educational activities. Due to these for example, the promotion of education and Institutions. These museums included three common roles, the idea to merge these three 1 Independent Administrative Institutions are legal bodies that were established to take over operation of organizations the government did not need to be directly responsible for. The aim of which was to increase efciency. National Museums (four since 2005), four Na- Independent Administrative Institutions was

34 35 Roles of National Museums in Japanese Society Masami Zeniya brought up during the process of administrative occasions, which is an outstanding number in Political history is more likely to become Museum of Ethnology conducts research and reform. However, after National Museums were Japan. a concern when an exhibition deals with modern holds exhibitions pertaining to ethnology and integrated with National Research Institutes history. At the National Museum of Japanese cultural anthropology. Each museum thus has for Cultural Properties to become the National National Museums also serve as the History there are constant debates regarding clearly assigned roles. Institutes for Cultural Heritage in 2007, there “Face of Japan,” often holding exhibitions modern history exhibitions, most often about has been no further integration or restructuring. abroad as anniversary events upon the requests the wording and expressions used in the explana- The activities of these museums, however, of governments and embassies. In fact, most of tions for these exhibitions. are not overly narrow in focus. The National 2. NATIONAL MUSEUMS AS the foreign exhibitions organized by the Agency Museum of Nature and Science, for example, has NATIONAL CENTRES for Cultural Afairs are co-organized by the Even during times of political and dip- held special exhibitions concerning felds such Tokyo National Museum. Loans from other lomatic tension in the -Pacifc region, we as , history, and ethnology. These Although Independent Administrative institutions, temples, shrines, and individuals are actively engage in cultural exchange, such as include The Inka Empire Revealed: Century After Institutions such as National Museums and possible because of the trust arising from these through exhibitions, between national museums the Machu Picchu “Discovery” in 2012 and Mummy: National Museums of Art are not bound by the institutions being national museums. of diferent countries, and believe that these ex- The Inside Story in 2006. Additionally, The Power Museum Act, they are expected to serve as “Na- changes should continue into the future. At the of Images, an exhibition held last year that con- tional Centres,” or as models for museums across 3. BALANCE WITH POLITICAL HISTORY Tokyo National Museum we therefore regard the sisted of objects from the National Museum of the nation. This is, of course, due to them having existence of ANMA as having great signifcance. Ethnology, was co-organized with the National the largest collections and outstanding staf. In As mentioned before, although national Art Centre, Tokyo. Rather than categorizing the mid-term goal for the National Institutes for museums in Japan are exempt from the Museum 4. BALANCE WITH ETHNOLOGY images based on regions or historical periods, Cultural Heritage, which MEXT sets every fve Act, fundamentally they are institutions for it focused on similarities in form, efect, and years, it clearly states that these institutions are social education and are expected to maintain There are exhibitions at the Tokyo Na- function. It was a revolutionary exhibition that “National Centres, the mission of which is to political and religious neutrality. National tional Museums about Ainu and Ryūkyū cul- questioned the preconceptions we have about acquire, conserve, manage, exhibit, and pass on Museums of the National Institutes of Cul- tures in addition to those of other Asian ethnic objects created by humans. In recent years, to the next generation tangible cultural proper- tural Heritage rarely deal with political history groups. The focus, however, is on artworks and special exhibitions that cross over diferent felds ties, foremost of which are numerous National because they primarily handle cultural proper- historical records, not ethnology. Similarly, there have been increasing in number, and it is believed Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, ties that are artworks. However, there are times are exhibitions about these ethnic groups at the that national museums of diferent Independent to conduct research on these properties, and to when organizers must be careful with the names Museum of Nature and Science but they focus Administrative Institutions should collaborate communicate the history and traditional culture (such as the names of regions) used in special on anthropology and botany, while the National further to hold diverse exhibitions and programs. of our nation within and outside of Japan, all for exhibitions that deal with areas that were col- the purpose of conserving and utilizing these onised or involved in territorial disputes. In such cultural properties, which are the valued proper- cases, names are chosen based on international ty of the nation.”2 The same passage is also used standards (regulations and treaties) or school- for National Museums of Art in addition to the books, which are based on the Courses of Study National Museum of Nature and Science, and (government curriculum guidelines). Moreover, indeed, these are their roles. although historical periods are usually based on political history, divisions based on cultural or In the last fscal year, the four national art history are also used at museums in Japan. museums belonging to the National Institutes For example, from July to September of this year for Cultural Heritage ofered assistance and (2015) the exhibition Hakuhō, The First Full Flower- advice to public and private museums on 264 oc- ing of in Japan was held at the casions, and lent a total of 1,962 objects (includ- National Museum. The names of periods such ing those on long-term loans) on 274 occasions. as “Hakuhō” and “Tempyō” are derived from 95 objects were also lent overseas on 13 separate categories used in art history.

2. National Institutes of Cultural Heritage (Japan), ed. Dokuritsu Gyōsei Hōjin Kokuritsu Bunkazai Kikō No Chūki Mokuhyō (The Mid-term Goal for the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage). Report. Room 18 (Modern Art), Tokyo National Museum April 1, 2011. http://www.nich.go.jp/data/hyoka/index.html. Image courtesy of Tokyo National Museum

36 37 Roles of National Museums in Japanese Society Masami Zeniya

Preparations are also being made for the of the Independent Administration Institution 2020 opening of the National Museum of Ainu in 2001. Cooperation and joint research among Culture in Hokkaido although its management these institutions, with regards to conservation, body is still undecided. This museum will is becoming increasingly necessary. It is possible conduct research and hold exhibitions that cover that certain contemporary artworks will be des- diferent academic felds on the Ainu, who are an ignated Important Cultural Properties in 50 or ethnic group indigenous to Japan. 100 years. These artworks will be recognized for their historical and cultural signifcance in addi- 5. BALANCE WITH ART tion to their artistic value, and may come under the management of the National Institutes for National Museums of the National In- Cultural Heritage. stitutes for Cultural Heritage primarily handle cultural properties that are artworks, but not 6. NEW ROLES OF NATIONAL those by contemporary artists. In other words, MUSEUMS IN JAPAN such artworks fall within art history and the value of which have been more or less established. During the previous fscal year, the Buddhist at The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, Tokyo National Museum However, this designation was only clarifed in National Task Force for the Japanese Cultural Photo by Sato Akira. Image courtesy of Tokyo National Museum recent years. Heritage Disaster Risk Mitigation Network was ular, the Tokyo National Museum is expected to CONCLUSION established at the National Institutes for Cultur- be at the centre of planning cultural programs The National al Heritage based on the experience gained from for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, The establishment and development of was established in 1952. (It became the National activities such as the “rescue” of cultural prop- and the National Museum, to act as a national museums varies by country and region. Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo in 1967.) Through erties after the Great East Japan Earthquake leader among the 200 museums in its city. We Their roles, therefore, cannot be discussed in a mutual agreement regarding the management in 2011. This task force is planning to establish hope to contribute to the development of Asian broad, sweeping terms. One similarity, however, of objects based on historical periods, the Tokyo a nationwide system for disaster prevention and museums as a whole with the cooperation of is that all national museums receive national National Museum was to manage works from the rescue of cultural properties. Preventing the Korea and , both of which have hosted the funds, and, whether they like it or not, are 1906 and earlier, the National Museum of destruction of cultural properties is an import- General Conference in the past. subject to the policies of their respective coun- Modern Art, those from 1924 and later, while ant role that the Tokyo National Museum must tries. Such governmental infuence often comes works created between 1907 and 1923 were to be fulfl given its standing as a National Centre. In recent years, the function of museums from fnancial considerations rather than cul- managed as they had been for the time being. From now on, it will actively pursue this objec- in MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conferences/ tural policies. We have experienced signifcant 1907 was the year when the government began tive. Conventions, Exhibitions/Events) has been rec- changes in the establishment and management an annual exhibition, the Bunten Exhibition, ognised and their use as “unique venues” is also of national museums resulting from changes of which was sponsored by the Ministry of Educa- increasing. These developments will contribute government. However, our foundation does not tion and when the ministry started to purchase to the invigoration of fundraising and museum consist of short-term objectives, but the perpet- artworks. The National Institutes for Cultural marketing. Tokyo National Museum is taking ual mission of determining how we can protect Heritage almost never handle contemporary art, the initiative in these developments as part of its and pass down the invaluable cultural properties which ranges over a wide variety of genres such as Logo for ICOM General Conference in Kyoto Image courtesy of Tokyo National Museum cultural and tourism planning. It will continue of the nation to future generations. Gaining the comics (manga), animation, digital art, and illus- its active engagement while giving proper con- understanding of various stakeholders such as tration. However, in recent years, there has been The ICOM General Conference will sideration, as a National Centre, to conservation, the political and business sectors in addition to progress in designating certain works of modern be held in Kyoto in 2019, just a year before the and crime and disaster prevention. individuals of academic standing is essential for art as Important Cultural Properties. Addition- Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. With this purpose. We wish to exchange information ally, the transfer of artworks by the Agency for national museums at the centre of this endeavor, with other members of ANMA while striving Cultural Afairs, the National Institutes for Cul- it is essential to use this occasion as an oppor- for the development of national museums in tural Heritage, and National Museums of Art tunity to promote international exchanges and Asia and maintaining a balance between history, has become more difcult since the introduction communication at . In partic- ethology, and art.

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