Japan Press Weekly

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2014 January 22 - 28 TOP3 [ARTS AND SPORTS]

Traditional arts need public support to carry on

‘Morning breeze’ column

The traditional performing art, Bunraku (puppet theater), will face further cuts in subsidies from the Osaka City government in the coming fiscal year. The Bunraku Association (Bunraku Kyokai) was forced to promise the city government, led by Mayor Hashimoto Toru, that the association would accept a “drop” in subsidies if it fails to achieve its yearly attendance goal at the Bunraku Theatre. It would even have to accept “zero” subsidies if it is unable to meet the requirement for a minimum set number of visitors.

Those involved in Bunraku performance, including living national treasurers, have been making various efforts to attract people. Unfortunately, audience size is not growing as fast as the Bunraku Kyokai hoped for.

Authorities should provide subsidies based on public fulfillment because the money comes from taxpayers’ money and accordingly should avoid wasteful uses. However, is it reasonable to judge the public fulfillment by the size of the audience?

Things should be determined from the aspect whether Osaka and the general public want to preserve it even with the use of public money. Is it reasonable for Mayor Hashimoto to judge public needs only from the perspective of profitability? In the first place, if it was profitable, for-profit private entities would move into this field. One important role of national and local governments is to give support to traditional arts even if they are unprofitable to support the continuation of our cultural heritage.

Bunraku is a Japanese traditional performing art and an Osaka cultural symbol. It is regrettable that not many people come and watch the play but this does not justify the death by state neglect of Bunraku. The whole city should maintain support for this traditional art form despite its lack of profitability. Only by doing so can Japanese culture and traditional arts be admired internationally.


Past related articles:
> Osaka City calls for drastic cuts in public services [April 6, 2012]
> Osaka City mayor Hashimoto harms local arts and cultures [March 6, 2012]