Why did film companies consider many of Kurosawa Akira’s plans too expensive during the 1960s?

During the 1960s, film companies frequently found Kurosawa Akira’s project plans to be too expensive because the Japanese cinema industry had entered a period of economic depression. This decline was driven by increased competition from American distributors and the rise of multi-channel color television, which significantly impacted the financial stability of the industry.12

As a result of these broader economic difficulties, Kurosawa—who had begun producing his own works through Kurosawa Productions in 1960—faced persistent financial challenges. When he attempted to mitigate these issues by collaborating with Hollywood producers, those projects often failed as well; for instance, during the production of Tora! Tora! Tora!, the producer dismissed Kurosawa due to fears that the film would exceed its estimated budget.1