The Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR), established on November 30, 2001 as an institution of the National Archives of Japan, has the mission of providing people all over the world with the access through the Internet to materials from collections kept by various ministries and agencies of the Japanese Government on the modern history of relations between Japan and various other countries, primarily neighboring Asian countries.
A broad and in-depth study on how to constitute the Center started in 1995, 50 years from the end of World War II. The Japanese Cabinet decision on November 30, 1999, entitled "On promoting the project for maintenance of Asian historical records," set the course for JACAR's eventual establishment as an institution "with a mission of making materials kept by the Government on the history of relations between Japan and neighboring Asian countries and other countries more accessible to the Japanese public and to the people of the countries concerned, as well as of promoting mutual understanding between those countries and Japan. " Accordingly, the Center assembles a wide and impartial variety of materials kept by Japanese Government institutions, and enables their perusal free of charge through the Internet.
Over recent years, there has been a frequently re-flaring debate over the "historical perspectives" of Japan vis-a-vis those of its neighboring countries. It is our belief that work to establish the historical facts is needed before a meaningful dialogue on historical perspectives can be pursued. This entails ascertaining what materials exist and sharing those that are found. It is only on such a premise that a dialogue on the interpretation of historical evidence can be effectively advanced. Accordingly, JACAR strives to serve the information needs of people both in and outside Japan with an aim at building genuine friendships between Japan and other countries, particularly those in Asia, on a basis of mutual understanding and trust.
|
Greetings from the Director General of JACAR
Welcome to the JACAR website.
