Japanese artists are demanding their government revoke its decision to cancel subsidies for an art festival that exhibited a statue representing the Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery.

According to Japanese broadcaster NHK on Tuesday, some 200 artists, as tallied by the organizers, gathered outside a Tokyo cultural bureau on Monday to protest the government's decision to stop subsidizing the exhibition called the Aichi Triennale.

They chanted slogans such as "stop bullying art" and "let's safeguard art."

One protester said she was enraged and came out to lend her support.

Another student attending the Tokyo University of the Arts said he believes the decision is indirect censorship.

Art-related Japanese organizations have also issued statements asking the government to withdraw its decision, calling it "pressure" that leaves a bad cultural precedent.

A petition website also drew over 93-thousand signatures as of Tuesday morning.

The Japanese government argues the decision to stop financial grants for the festival has nothing to do with the displayed works but concerns a procedural matter and the decision will not be changed.