Budget cuts at the National Film Archive of Japan put the definitive elements of Kurosawa, Ozu, and Mizoguchi masterpieces at risk.
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share some urgent and deeply concerning news regarding the preservation of Japanese cinema.
The National Film Archive of Japan (NFAJ)—the country's sole national institution dedicated to collecting, preserving, and restoring film heritage—is currently facing a severe financial crisis. Due to a massive cut in government subsidies (over 300 million yen slashed since 2024), they are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of climate-controlled storage for fragile nitrate/acetate films, as well as crucial digital restoration projects.
To save their collection and continue their operations, they have just launched an official crowdfunding campaign with a goal of 100 million yen (approx. $625,000 USD).
This archive holds the definitive, original elements of masterpieces by Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, as well as priceless early anime and silent films. If this institution fails, a massive chunk of global film history is at risk.
Fortunately, they have provided an official English guide for international donors, and they do accept international credit cards.
If you're having trouble with the crowdfunding site, try their official, permanent donation page instead. They accept PayPal over there, which is much smoother for international donors!
The link to the donation site is in the comments section.
It is deeply disheartening to see a major economic power like Japan defund its only national film institution. Film preservation shouldn't rely solely on grassroots crowdfunding, but right now, this is the reality they face. What are your thoughts on the current state of national film preservation worldwide?