70th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibit "A Treasure Box of Books - The 70-year History of the National Diet Library and Its Collections"
- A Treasure Box of Books
- Part 1 70 Years of the National Diet Library
- Section 2 The National Diet Library during the Showa Era
Part 1 Section 2 The National Diet Library during the Showa Era
The National Diet Library was opened on June 5, 1948 with the new "mission of contributing to the democratization of Japan and world peace" (foreword to the National Diet Library Law). When it was opened, the Research and Legislative Reference Bureau, which was in charge of research service on national policy issues, the legal deposit system in order to systematically collect domestically published works, as well as the NDL Branch Libraries in Executive and Judicial Agencies were established. The library soon functioned as the only national library in Japan, creating an original classification system, and cooperating with other institutions both within Japan and overseas. During this time, the main building was opened in 1961, and the annex in 1986.
14 National Diet Library sign
This sign, with the name of the library, is thought to have been posted when library service was started at the Akasaka Detached Palace in 1948.
15 Report of the United States library mission to advise on the establishment of the national diet library of Japan U.S. Gov. (1948) [021.01-Ul69r]
In December 1947, Verner W. Clapp and Charles Harvey Brown came to Japan as part of the U.S. Library Mission to Japan. The exhibited material is a report on discussions between the mission and Nakamura Kaju, the Chairman Standing Committee for Library Management, House of Representatives, and Hani Goro, the Chairman Standing Committee for Library Management, House of Councillors, and others to clarify and coordinate the basic concepts for a new National Diet Library.
16 NATIONAL DIET LIBRARY Report on Technical Processes, Bibliographical Services and General Organization edited by the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers Civil Information and Education Section, translated by the National Diet Library (1948) [a014-2]
On July 7, 1948, Robert B. Downs came to Japan as a special consultant to the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (GHQ/SCAP) as an expert to provide advice on the creation of a public catalog. This NATIONAL DIET LIBRARY Report on Technical Processes, Bibliographical Services and General Organization helped determine the policies for the coordination of the National Diet Library, such as settling on use of the revised Nippon Decimal Classification for Japanese and Chinese materials, and the Dewey Decimal Classification for western materials, the creation of a public catalog, the distribution of printed catalog cards, and other items.
17 A Road to Social Security National Diet Library Research and Legislative Reference Bureau (1948) [EG1-G70]
In 1948, the newly established Research and Legislative Reference Bureau charged with serving the Diet quickly began legislative research service aimed at the next (3rd) Diet session. The exhibited material is the 1st Kokuchoritsu shiryo B (mimeographed) distributed to Diet members as the first results of these research service. During the same fiscal year, 2 volumes of the Kokuchoritsu shiryo A (letterpress printed) and 31 volumes of the Kokuchoritsu shiryo B were published.
18 Nohon geppo (Legal Deposit Monthly) Volume 1 No. 1 edited by the National Diet Library Department of Acquisition, National Diet Library Department of Administration (September 1948) [Z025.1-N1]
The exhibited material was published as a public catalog of new publications, etc. delivered to the National Diet Library as part of the newly established legal deposit system (stipulated by National Diet Library Law Article 25). The first volume listed 953 newly published works, in addition to donated books, special publications including sheet music, maps, and it was also an announcement of newly received materials. It later evolved into the Nohon shuho (Legal Deposit Weekly) and Japanese National Bibliography.
19 National Diet Library (1961) [Y111-J2554]
This piece was a commemorative booklet published upon the completion of the 1st stage of construction for the Nagatacho Building in 1961. The south side of the building (the National Diet Building side) is magnificent, but behind it is a vast open lot that is the remains of the Occupation Army facilities, making for a very unbalanced scene (seen at the top of the photo). This became the mainbuilding for the National Diet Library, which was previously split among three locations. It was fully completed in 1968.
20 The Annex of the National Diet Library
Shinkenchiku (New Architecture) 61 No. 11, Shinkenchiku-sha (November 1986) [Z11-343]
This is a magazine article on the completion of the Annex in 1986, 25 years after the completion of the 1st stage of construction of the Main Building. The entire Annex from the 1st basement floor to the 8th basement floor, approximately 136 meters wide from east to west and 43 meters from north to south, used as library stacks.
21 The Journey of learning the architecture by SAKURAI Sho vol. 64 To the palace of Japan's best peak (the National Diet Library)
Casa Brutus No. 201, MAGAZINE HOUSE Co., LTD. December 2016 [Z6-B762]
The National Diet Library building was frequently covered on TV and in magazines. The exhibited material shows a posted photo of the idol Sho Sakurai standing in the stairwell of the Annex stacks. His comment at the time was, "Wow, what is this place!".
70th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibit "A Treasure Box of Books - The 70-year History of the National Diet Library and Its Collections" is one of digital exhibitions of the National Diet Library.
The NDL Digital Exhibitions features the NDL’s unique collections with explanations covering various themes such as nishiki-e, landscape photographs and historical materials. Discover your favorites!