JACAR Newsletter
JACAR Newsletter Number 44
July 30, 2024
Information on Newly Released Documents
Documents released on February 27, 2024 National Archives of Japan
Records of the Cabinet Meetings, Meetings of the Administrative Vice-Ministers and Other Meetings of Officials, are constructed of cabinet meeting materials; meetings of administrative vice-ministers and others have been placed on file in chronological order. This latest release covers materials for 1961.
Formal regulations (precedents, laws, ordinances, etc.) that were recorded and transcribed from Dajokan Nikki, Dajokan Nisshi, Kobun Roku, etc. are categorized into 19 divisions from institutions to criminal procedures and compiled in chronological order. Drafts at the time of compilation also remain. This latest release covers the entirety of “Dajo Ruiten, vol. 2: Meiji 4 (1871) through Meiji 10 (1877),” now including items previously unavailable through JACAR.
These records are of deliberation on legislative bills by counselors of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau. Such records have been preserved systematically from January 1972, when the guidelines for compilation and preservation of records of deliberations on bills and proposed ordinances started to be enforced. This release covers materials from Shōwa 28 (1953) through Shōwa 31 (1956).
This group of documents includes statistical findings that served as reference materials for the Imperial Diet. The materials were organized for respective assemblies and departments in the format of expected questions and answers in response to bills. This release covers materials from the 70th session (1936)) through the 76th session (1940).
Documents released on March 19, 2024 Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Twelve volumes were released regarding Japan’s foreign policy, including hand-written memos by Foreign Minister Shigemitsu and meeting minutes.
Three volumes were released regarding the minutes of meetings of U.S. ambassadors to Japan with foreign ministers Fujiyama and Kosaka.
One volume was released regarding Foreign Minister Fujiyama’s visit to the United States.
Sixteen volumes were released regarding visits to countries around Asia by cabinet members including Prime Minister Ikeda.
Eighteen volumes were released regarding visits to the United States by cabinet members including Prime Minister Kishi and Foreign Minister Shigemitsu.
Two volumes were released regarding visits to Japan by cabinet members and prominent persons from the United States.
Five volumes were released regarding the Zhou Hongqing Incident of 1963.
One volume was released regarding the question of North and South Korea.
Twenty-eight volumes were released regarding border conflicts between Asian countries, including those between China and India.
Eight volumes were released about the conflict in Laos.
Eighty-five volumes were released about reparations and economic treaties between Japan and Asian countries.
Six volumes were released about compensatory arrangements between Japan and Malaysia.
Two volumes were released about peace treaties with Japan and the Japan-US Administrative Agreement.
Four volumes were released about the peace treaty between Japan and Burma.
Twenty-nine volumes were released regarding commercial and financial treaties between Japan and various countries around Asia and Oceania.
Seven volumes were released regarding the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
Two volumes were released regarding Japan’s remilitarization.
One volume was released regarding external economic issues.
Twenty-four volumes were released regarding economic and technical cooperation with Indonesia.
Three volumes were released regarding economic cooperation under Article 2 of the Agreement between Japan and Thailand concerning settlement of “Special Yen Problems.”
Seven volumes were released regarding economic and technical cooperation with Burma.
Two volumes were released economic and technical cooperation with India.
Four volumes were released regarding economic and technical cooperation with Ceylon.
Thirteen volumes were released regarding economic and technical cooperation with Pakistan.
Twenty-two volumes were released regarding economics and trade involving the People’s Republic of China.
Two volumes were released regarding India’s financial and monetary affairs.
Five volumes were released regarding New Zealand’s economic, financial, monetary, commercial, industrial, and external economic affairs.
Eight volumes were released regarding Australia’s economic, financial, monetary, commercial, industrial, external economic, and tariff affairs.
Thirty-nine volumes were released regarding the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the like.
Six volumes were released regarding visits to the United States, etc., by Prime Minister Nakasone and Prime Minister Kaifu.
Documents released on 2022, 2023 and 2024: Hoover Institution, Stanford University
The Hoover Institution has made available Yamato/Yamato Shinbun and Nippu Jiji/Hawaii Times, two leading Japanese-language newspapers that were published in Hawaii from 1895 to 1985.
The Yamato was published as a semi-weekly newspaper by Shintarō Anno in Honolulu in October 1895. It was succeeded by the Yamato Shinbun in August 1896.
The Yamato Shinbun succeeded the Yamato in August 1896 and was published by Hamon Mizuno three times a week. The newspaper featured advertisements of Japanese businesses on the front page, followed by local and world news and practical information relevant to the Japanese community in Hawaii. It was initially printed on a lithograph machine until 1898 when the publisher introduced a typeset. The newspaper became daily in 1902 and Yasutarō Sōga acquired the press in 1905. The tile was renamed to the Nippu Jiji in 1906.
The Nippu Jiji was one of the two major Japanese newspapers in Hawaii (the other is Hawaii Hōchi) with a wide readership among Japanese migrant workers. The Nippu Jiji played a pivotal role in social movements in Hawaii’s Japanese community. It was initially published as the Yamato (1895–96), later as Yamato Shinbun (1896–1906) before being renamed the Nippu Jiji (1906–42) under the leadership of Yasutarō Sōga; it later became Hawaii Times (1942–85). An English section was begun in 1919.
The Nippu Jiji continued to publish under US government censorship during WWII after having been temporarily shut down from December 11, 1941 until January 8, 1942. The Nippu Jiji was renamed to the Hawaii Times on November 2, 1942. President Yasutarō Sōga’s son Shigeo became the new president and the editor in chief on December 8, 1942. Although the Hawaii Times closed down in 1985, the Hawaii Times Photo Archives Foundation salvaged the publisher’s photo archives consisting of approximately 25,0000 photographs and related information.