Local News

It has been revealed that of the 75 cultural treasures purchased by the Kyushu National Museum during the three-year period ended in FY 2007 that 46, or more than 60%, were bought at prices some consider unnatural. The museum asked several professionals to appraise the items. In the cases considered suspicious, more than one professional submitted identical appraisals, though the experts are not supposed to know the identity of the other professionals. It is highly unusual for appraisers to apply identical values for items of this type. Some members of the Japanese Diet wonder if collusion was involved, though the museum says that is not the case.