As the world’s political, economic, and social concerns grow increasingly complex and uncertain, the pursuit of inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability have emerged as urgent global issues that transcend any one field. At the same time, in the Asia-Pacific region, which has achieved remarkable economic growth over the last few decades, there have been an increasing number of opportunities to encounter art at museums, art festivals, and art fairs, and the nature of these activities has become increasingly diversified. These changes are also reflected in art and cultural exchanges and museum activities throughout the world, and today in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, measures to promote art in Japan are clearly entering a new era.

It has been 70 years since the first national museum of modern art was established in Japan. Due to global changes in art and museums, there is a need to take a strategic and long-term approach with a view to the next generation in order to connect art in Japan with the global art world, and expand these relations and develop them in a sustainable manner. The central role of the National Center for Art Research, launched as a part of the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art Secretariat, is to forge links with a host of different activities, which extend beyond the work of individual museums, advance art promotion in Japan, and create artistic and social value. The National Center for Art Research is poised to begin its work as a platform that at once strives to foster a greater permeation of art in society, while at the same time, deepening expertise in the field. As we reflect a wide range of views, and engage in learning and discussion, I hope to join with everyone in considering how we might best promote art in Japan.

Kataoka Mami
Director
National Center for Art Research
March 28, 2023