Country Report - Mr. Inahashi Kasumasa, Director General of the National Archives of Japan

Chairman (Chairperson),

Colleagues,

I would like to express my sincere thanks for Mrs Maria Helena Lima Evora, Director of the Macao Historical Archives who has willingly accepted to hold this General Conference and for kind hospitality of her staffs who have made excellent arrangements for us, the attendants.

Here I explain the archival administration of Japan.

First, the preservation of old documents in Japan is secured by the central government and local governments independently, and these archives are established and managed independently. The establishment of archives by local governments goes well year by year. After 1993 six archives have newly opened and it’s total number comes to thirty one in this year.

Secondly, the official documents and records which we receive annually from ministries amount to approximately twenty to thirty thousand. We have received thirty thousand volumes in 1993, and twenty thousand volumes in 1994. Up to now it comes to around six hundred and thirty thousand volumes which have been accumulated in our archives.

Thirdly, it has passed twenty four years since our institution opened, and our stacks area is almost full with the official documents and records. So that we are planning to construct a second storage. This new building will be completed in the near future.

Fourthly, in order to establish a retrieval system which enables researchers to find out easily and effectively their searching data, we newly set up the Committee for Data Base of Catalogs and are going to consider on this matter.

Fifthly, we have been discussing about the training system for professional staff.

In conclusion, I really believe that our further cooperation between the national archives and regional archival institutions in Eastern Asia through the activities of EASTICA is most significant. I sincerely hope this General Conference will be a great success.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.