Research of Japanese Archives in the United Kingdom

1996 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 07041035
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: Field Research
• Research Institution: National Institute of Japanese Literature
• Principal Investigator: MORI Yasuhiko National Institute of Japanese Literature, Department of Historical Documents, Professor, 史料館, 教授 (30020613)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KANDACHI Koichi Soka University, Faculty of Economics, Associate Professor, 経済学部, 助教授 (60169795) ; OGUCHI Yujiro Ochanomizu University, Facuoty of Letters and Education, Professor, 文教育学部, 教授 (00017112) ; AOKI Mutsumi National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Associate Research, 史料館, 助手 (00260000) ; WATANABE Koichi National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Associate Research, 史料館, 助手 (00201179) ; FUKUDA Chizuru National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Associate Research, 史料館, 助手 (10260001) ; ANDO Masashito National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Associate Professor, 史料館, 助教授 (90113422) ; OTOMO Kazuo National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Associate Professor, 史料館, 助教授 (30169007) ; YAMADA Tetsuyoshi National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Associate Professor, 史料館, 助教授 (70220390) ; USHIKI Yukio National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Professor, 史料館, 教授 (60223525) ; SUZUE Eiichi National Institute of Japanese Literature, DHD,Professor, 史料館, 教授 (30259999) ; TAKAGI Shunsuke National Institute of Japanese Literature, Department of Historical Documents, P, 史料館, 教授 (90022186)
• Project Period (FY): 1995 – 1996
• Keywords: Japanese archives / in the United Kingdom / archival survey / archives

Research Abstract

(1) Purpose of the project
Our project is intended to do research into the location and preservation of Japanese archives flown out ant kept overseas, and put the collected information in our "Archives and Manuscripts Location Data Base" to make it accessible to researchers, while trying to contribute to the preservation and management of the original materials.
(2) Result of the research
On-site surveys for 22 archival institutions was conducted, as well as asking for related information by sending questionnaires to many other institutions. The result is summarized as below.
1.Most of the materials searched for are kept in several institutions only.
The core of the materials are private collections created by diplomats and scholars who stayd in Japan in early modern period.
2.We confirmed the existence of Japanese diplomatic records originally belonged to Japanese embassies in London and Berlin and were seized during the Second World War.
3.It seems that no thorough survey concerning Japanese diplomatic and business archives in the United Kingdom has been conducted so far. Such archives which are still unknown and unused might exist.
4.Many of the institutions surveyed keep their Japanese collections as a whole in one custodial system, ie including books or drawings, Compiling detailed lists based on archival analyzes still remains problems to them.
5.There are some cases that materials suffer serious damage or are given improper conservation treatment, for which we have given advices where appropreate.
(3) Future prospect
1.In order to publicize the fruit of the research, we have compiled a report to be distributed widely.
2.The collected data will be added to our data base for public use in due course.
3.Our possible contribution to the institutions conerned in the future will be to cooperate with them in, a) arrangement and description and, b) conservation.