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Modern Japan in archives
Ever since its establishment in 1949 (Showa 24), the Modern Japanese Political History Materials Room of the National Diet Library has striven to collect, organize and display primary historical sources (letters, diaries, documents, manuscripts, etc. that belonged to politicians, bureaucrats, et al.) related to the political history of modern and contemporary Japan. Furthermore, it has at appropriate occasions put on exhibitions, such as the "Exhibition on parliamentary government commemorating the anniversary of the establishment of the Diet" that including both materials from its own collection as well as those borrowed from various other sources, in order to let the general public to trace the history of parliamentary politics in Japan.
The online exhibition presented this time "Modern Japan in archives" mainly introduces representative items featured in past exhibitions, while simultaneously displaying newly-selected documents, photographs and illustrations reflecting the era from which they were chosen. In addition, to enable a multifaceted enjoyment of history, there is also one corner of the online exhibition that introduces "little known episodes" based on those materials, as well as corner on how to read these sources thorough a concrete example..
It would be a source of great satisfaction if the online exhibition would allow many people to enjoy a section of the invaluable historical records that were previously only available for perusal within the narrow confines of the Constitutional Government Documents Collection.
Addition to Chapter 6
"Modern Japan in archives" is an online exhibition operated by the National Diet Library. Enabling online access by the general public to primary materials owned by the Modern Japanese Political History Materials Room of the National Diet Library, the exhibition has been received favorably, with a large number of people visiting the site since its opening.
The exhibition on parliamentary government is to be held in 2010 to mark the 120th anniversary of the opening of the Japanese Diet. To commemorate the anniversary, a new chapter has been added to "Modern Japan in archives", featuring historical materials collected after the San Francisco Peace Treaty (1951) and related columns. The renovated site痴 operability has been also upgraded for users.
We sincerely hope for the greater use of this site.
November 2010
