JACAR Newsletter

Regarding Updates to the JACAR Database

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR)

Notice Regarding Updates to the Database

（Advice for using the database in English: As the amount of catalog information available in Japanese is more extensive, users will probably find it helpful to translate their search keywords into Japanese using machine translation tools or their browser’s translation function and then enter the translated Japanese terms into the database search interface. The search results can then be viewed in English or other languages using the browser’s automatic translation function.)

JACAR has updated its online database and migrated to a new system effective March 23, 2026.

JACAR sequentially makes available to the public materials held at and digitized by the National Archives of Japan, the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Center for War History Research of the National Institute for Defense Studies. Materials held by the National Archives of Japan are linked with the National Archives of Japan Digital Archive (DA).

JACAR has consistently reviewed its system at regular intervals to ensure that we continue to provide stable service and convenience to our users. The previous update involved revising the operational infrastructure (including migration to a cloud environment) to improve stability.

The current update aims to create a clearer and more user-friendly database. While maintaining the basic visual format and appearance that users have encountered in the past, it reorganizes screens and functions and standardizes elements with the National Archives of Japan DA. Key improvements include a reorganization of the search screen, addressing inconsistencies in notation (numbers, old characters, full-width versus half-width characters, etc.), and expanding the image display area in the viewer.

In addition, the new system will regularly update its sitemap, and the entire database will be structured to make it easier to access not only from general search engines such as Google, but also from generative AI, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. This improves the environment for first-time users of JACAR to find the materials they are looking for more easily.

We intend to explore the following initiatives in the future: enhancing search functionality through Generative AI (hereafter “AI Search”), expanding multilingual support for catalog information and search interfaces via automatic translation, and investigating the potential for digitizing historical materials using AI-OCR (Artificial Intelligence-powered Optical Character Recognition) technology. Providing users with ease of access to historical materials containing cursive script is a particularly significant challenge. We will proactively explore this, in light of forthcoming technological advancements in extracting textual information from image data and linking it to search and utilization capabilities.

The introduction of such cutting-edge technology will not only enhance the efficient maintenance of our database but also improve convenience for users both in Japan and overseas. We believe this will contribute to promoting the wider use of JACAR and its resources. In implementing functional enhancements, we will systematically address technical and operational challenges while proactively considering feedback from our users. Although this update represents a modest improvement, we plan to continue conducting regular system reviews in the future, taking into account societal demands and technological trends, despite budgetary constraints.

JACAR will continue to steadily advance the public release of materials while striving to enhance services that support your research, studies, and learning. We sincerely appreciate your continued support of the Japan Center for Asian Historical Records.

WATANABE Hidetoshi, Acting Assistant Director

AKIMOTO Hideaki, Business Section 2