Transcript Introduction to the National Archives of Japan Digital

Digitizing government archival records
and
P.M. Fukuda’s initiatives to strengthen the role of
the National Archives
Shohei Muta
National Archives of Japan
3-2 Kitanomaru Park, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0091, Japan
[email protected]
http://www.archives.go.jp, http://www.jacar.go.jp
Background to understand challenges
faced by PM Fukuda
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Non existence of a modern central national
archives until the establishment of National
Archives in 1971
Long tradition of good record management
tradition back to our ancient history
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Legacy of prewar government records
management
Continuous government scandals
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lack of good record keeping
absence of the record management law
introduction of FOIA and destruction of
government records
moral hazard→no records no accountability
Act on Access to Information Held by
Administrative Organs
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(Freedom of Information)
"administrative document" as used in this Act shall mean a
document, picture, and electromagnetic record (a record made
by an electronic method, a magnetic method, or any other
method not recognizable to human senses. The same shall
apply hereinafter.), that, having been prepared or obtained by
an employee of an administrative organ in the course of his or
her duties, is held by the administrative organ concerned for
organizational use by its employees. However, the followings
are excluded: (i )Items published for the purpose of selling to
many and unspecified persons, such as official gazettes, white
papers, newspapers, magazines, and books.
(ii )Items that are, pursuant to the provisions of a Cabinet
Order, specially managed as either historical or cultural
materials, or as materials for academic research in the National
Archives or other organs designated by a Cabinet Order.
National Archives Law
Chapter 4: Use of Government Documents and
Records at the NA
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Article 16.
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The government documents and records
preserved at the National Archives shall be
made available for public use. Provided,
however, that this does not apply to such
government documents and records that
are not fit for public use for reasons of the
protection of privacy or for other rational
reasons.
Meiji Government
and its record Management
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Records preservation going back to ancient times
Pre-war administration and preservation of official
records: modeling after various western countries
Hierarchical government structure with the Emperor
at its top: only to be accountable to the sovereign,
who is infallible
lack of modern archival tradition
Absence of central depository (national archives)
But official records were well managed and preserved
Myth? Destruction of official records
at the end of the war
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Most important records were moved to
safer places
Destruction orders were issued very
end of the war, August 13-15
Army and Navy general staff officers hid
many important documents avoiding
confiscation by the GHQ
Seizure by and return from the WDC
The Draft Imperial Rescript
on the Greater East Asia War Declaration
National Archives Digital Projects
National Archives Digital Archive
■ Digital Archive System
Searchable digital reading room
1.1 million files’ data available
Digital images of Constitutions
■ Digital Gallery
National Important Cultural
Properties and large maps in highdefinition digital format
710 images (531 items) available
Japan Center for Asian Historical Records
■ Search system
Provide about 15 million digital
images and more than 1 million
searchable catalogue data
■ Internet Special Exhibitions
‘Russo-Japanese War’ ’US-Japan
War Talks’ New exhibition on
Modern History of Japan as
viewed in the Originals of Treaties
8
PM Fukuda and the archives?
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Mr. Fukuda as Chief Cabinet Secretary visited JACAR as early as
January 2002
His first encounter with archives was 20 years ago at NARA
Now he thinks:
“Important documents that are closely linked to people’s lives are
handled inappropriately, I feel like saying ‘I’am fed up with this mess
and stop this right now.”
“If a democracy is defined as a system in which each citizen is capable
of making accurate decisions, then the facts have to be clear, I believe
one of the fundamental tasks of a central government is to think about
how to announce and preserve records and facts.”
(www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/Tky200802270088.html)
Road to the change?
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In 2003, as Chief Cabinet Secretary under PM
Koizumi, Mr. Fukuda set up an advisory panel to look
into the proper management, reservation and use of
public documents
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Several reports have been published including preservation and
management of born digital records
In 2005, set up a league of LDP and New Komeito
Diet members
Last December, the league submitted a special
appeal to PM Fukuda
Feb. 29, PM appointed Yoko Kamikawa as state
minister in charge of public documents management
Policy Speech by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
to the 169th Session of the Diet January 18, 2008
Administrative and Financial Reforms to Restore
the Trust of the People
 The careless management of public documents, such
as pension records, is absolutely unacceptable. We
will conduct a fundamental review of the modalities
for managing administrative records and will consider
their legislation, and furthermore, we will improve
the system for preserving public records, including
expanding the national archives system.
The key to the change and the key to understand
Japanese politics and modern history
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分担管理（Buntankanri）
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Each ministry and agency is basically allowed to
handle documents in whatever way it sees fit.
Independence of each ministry→From Meiji
Government, example is WWII Army and Navy
Prime Minister has two functions
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as a head of Cabinet as PM
as a head of Cabinet Office (equal to other
ministers)
Thank you