Maeda works stolen from museum

GIFU (Kyodo) paintings by Seison Maeda worth a combined ¥26.5 million were stolen Tuesday from a museum in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, dedicated to the artist, police said.

"Mt. Fuji" by Seison Maeda

The works are "Mt. Fuji," whose estimated worth is ¥20 million, and "Ayu," valued at ¥6.5 million.

Security guards rushed to the Seison Memorial Museum and found the works stolen at around 12:30 a.m., 10 minutes after the security alarm at the entrance went off, police said.

The glass case in the display hall was destroyed.

Seison Maeda was an award-winning Japanese-style painter born in Nakatsugawa in 1885. He died at age 92 in 1977 in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture.