JACAR Newsletter

Editor’s Postscript

Thank you for reading the JACAR Newsletter.

In this issue, we feature an article by Center Director-General Sumio Hatano entitled “Introducing the ‘Postwar Diplomatic Records’ Provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2).”

This article draws on records held by the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to examine how Japan rebuilt its external relations in the period from the occupation through the restoration of independence and its return to the international community. Focusing on major diplomatic themes such as the reconstruction of relations with Asian countries, accession to the United Nations, and the development of Japan–U.S. relations, the article traces the course of Japan’s postwar diplomacy through selected archival materials.

The article also highlights a number of topics that, while closely related to the occupation period and the years immediately following Japan’s restoration of independence, are not always foregrounded in conventional accounts of postwar Japanese history. By drawing on archival materials, it offers readers fresh perspectives on these aspects of Japan’s postwar diplomacy.

We will continue to work to further enhance the content of the JACAR Newsletter, and we hope you will continue to read future issues.

The views expressed in signed articles are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Government of Japan or the Center. The English version of the newsletter is translated under the responsibility of the Japan Center for Asian Historical Records.