Has Banksy struck in Tokyo?
Train station graffiti bears striking resemblance to one of the street artist’s most famous creations

Japanese officials are trying to verify if a potentially years-old spray-painted image of a rat discovered in Tokyo is the work of British street artist Banksy.
The drawing bears a strong resemblance to Banksy’s trademark rodent, which features in several of his previous works, including a series of stencils in Melbourne called Parachuting Rat.
The Tokyo rat, which is holding an umbrella, was sprayed on a tide gate at Hinode Station on the Yurikamome train line in the centre of the city, the BBC reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Officials say they had been aware of the graffiti for a long time, but did not realise they were looking a potential Banksy until December, when local residents contacted them to point out the similarity, according to The Japan Times.
“There are photos on social media that appear to show the same painting which date back several years,” the newspaper says.
Tokyo Metropolitan government official Koji Sugiyama told CNN that the stencil had not been erased by city authorities because it “didn’t stand out”.
Banksy’s work, which often satirises authority figures and current affairs, frequently sells for millions.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sugiyama said local government officials are attempting to confirm whether the rat image is the work of the mysterious British artist, but add that they “don’t know if there’s an expert in Japan” qualified to give that verdict.
The gate, designed to protect the station from floods during high tides, has now been removed and put in storage to prevent any damage.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike posted photos of herself with the painting on Twitter, writing: “There’s a painting of cute rat in Tokyo which could be Banksy’s work! A gift to Tokyo?”
Last month, Banksy confirmed he was behind a mural in Port Talbot, Wales. That image, showing a child playing in the embers of a skip fire, “seems to comment on the town’s industrial heritage” and appeared on two walls of a garage overnight, the London Evening Standard reports.
-
Weapons: Julia Garner stars in 'hyper-eerie' psychological thriller
The Week Recommends Zach Cregger's 'top notch' new film opens with 17 children disappearing at exactly the same time
-
Freakier Friday: Lohan and Curtis reunite for 'uneven' but 'endearing' sequel
The Week Recommends Mother-and-daughter comedy returns with four characters switching bodies
-
Al fresco art: the UK's best sculpture parks
The Week Recommends Soak up the scenery with a stroll through these open-air galleries
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
A manga predicting a natural disaster is affecting tourism to Japan
Under the Radar The 1999 book originally warned of a disaster that would befall Japan in 2011 — a prophecy that came true
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Japan is opening up to immigration – but is it welcoming immigrants?
Under the Radar Plummeting birth rates and ageing population leaves closed-off country 'no choice' but to admit foreign workers, but tensions are growing with newly arrived Muslims
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
The Japanese rice crisis
Under The Radar Japan's staple food is in short supply and everything from bad harvests to rising tourist numbers is being blamed