Because the actual relationship, as described above, between the 'old' and 'new' national treasures, and 'Important Cultural Properties' is very convoluted, many have mistakenly assumed simply that 'all the items designated before the Second World War as National Treasures were downgraded to Important Cultural Properties after the war.'
以上のように「（旧）国宝」「（新）国宝」「重要文化財」の関係が錯綜しているため、「第二次世界大戦以前には国宝だったものが、戦後は重要文化財に格下げされた」と誤って理解されることが多い。