Budget for Fiscal Year 2012 (Heisei 24) for Agency for Cultural Affairs Determined

On April 5, the government budget for the fiscal year 2012 (Heisei 24) was passed. The budget for the Agency for Cultural Affairs was ¥107.447 billion (including ¥1.8 billion for Reconstruction Grant Project on the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster), 4.2% or ¥4.32 billion more than the previous year. The budget is divided into three principal projects as follows: 1. Creation and utilization of rich culture and arts and cultivation of human resources; 2. Preservation, utilization and succession of Japan’s precious cultural properties; and 3. Dissemination of Japan’s outstanding culture and arts / promotion of international cultural exchange. In particular, as Special Account for Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake, ¥3.739 billion was appropriated for ‘Restoration of affected cultural properties’ and ¥507 million for ‘Restoration of affected museums’ in Project 2. In Project 3, ¥150 million was earmarked for ‘Collection and Preservation of Modern and Contemporary Architectural Materials’. (Japanese)