Graffiti spotted in Tokyo could be Banksy artwork - maybe

  • Published
This handout photograph taken on January 16, 2019 and released by Tokyo Metropolitan Government on January 17 shows a drawing of a rat holding an umbrellaImage source, AFP
Image caption,

Could this be the work of Banksy?

A piece of graffiti found at a monorail station in Tokyo, Japan, could be the work of British artist Banksy, say local officials.

The drawing bears resemblance to a famous Banksy painting "Umbrella rat", which similarly pictures a rat parachuting with an umbrella.

It is not clear when the work was painted but officials said they had known about it for a long time.

They only realised it could be a Banksy after being contacted by residents.

The drawing is sprayed on a door near the Hinode monorail station in central Tokyo.

In a tweet, the capital's Governor Yuriko Koike called the artwork a possible "gift to Tokyo".

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post by 小池百合子

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post by 小池百合子

The door has now been removed and placed in storage to prevent any damage to it, government official Koji Sugiyama told AFP.

Image source, AFP
Image caption,

Can you spot the 'Banksy' work?

However, Mr Sugiyama said the government was still trying to verify the artwork, but that they "[didn't] know if there's an expert in Japan".

Banksy is an anonymous British graffiti artist who produces pieces of work in public places - which are often sold for high amounts.

A Banksy artwork, which appeared in a garage in Wales was recently sold privately for a "six-figure sum".