Agency for Cultural Affairs

The Bunka -chō (Japanese文化庁, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Eng. Agency for Cultural Affairs ) is a special office to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. It was established on 15 June 1968 to promote art and culture in Japan. Since 2010 the office and 237 employees (2010) is directed by Seiichi Kondō.

The tasks include in particular: the artistic creation to promote the protection and preservation of cultural heritage, protection of copyrights, measures to improve and spread the Japanese language, promote international cultural exchange and to act as management for religion. The budget of the Office in 2009 amounted to 101.54 million yen; it rose in 2010 by 0.5% to 102.02 million yen.

The character for the Bunka -chō were designed by a calligrapher Naruse Eizan.

3.1 Arts and Culture
3.2 International cultural exchanges
3.3 language education and policy [note 3]
3.4 Other (selection)

History

On August 29, 1950 onwards, the " Cultural Protection Act " (文化财保护法, Bunkazai Hōgohō ) in force and the "Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property " (文化财保护委员会, Bunkazai Hōgoiinkai ) was as a special office of " Ministry of Culture " [NB. 1] founded. The departments of Education and monument protection of the Ministry has been abolished.

In May 1966 after sixteen years of activity, the committee was reclassified as an internal division in the " Ministry of Culture ". Two years later, in 1968, the Office received its current special status.

Structure of the Office

Management level

Manager at the Bunka -chō
Deputy Head of the Bunka -chō

Departments

Secretariat: human resources, accounting, information, copyright protection political department
Department of Copyright
International division

Department of Arts and Culture
Department of Japanese Language
Department of Religious Affairs

Office to Monitor and inspection of Cultural Monuments
Department of traditional culture
Department of Arts and Science
Department of memory
Counsellor ( responsible for buildings)

Culture Committee
Committee for Religious Communities

Japanese Academy of Arts

Self-governing bodies

Museums
Facilities for cultural monuments
Conveyors for art and culture
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage

Main activities of the Office

Arts and Culture

National Art Festival (芸术祭, Geijutsusai, English National Arts Festival. ) - Since 1946
Committee recommendation Art (芸术选奨, Geijutsusenshō ) [note 2]
National Cultural Festival (国民文化祭, Kokumin Bunkasai, Eng. National Cultural Festival)
Nationwide culture, art and science festival in the secondary schools (全国高等学校総合文化祭)
Media and Arts Festival at the Bunka -chō (文化庁メディア芸術祭, Bunka -chō media geijutsusai, Eng. Japan Media Arts Festival)
Promotion of Japanese film