Digitizing government archival records and

P.M. Fukuda’s initiatives to strengthen the role of the National Archives

Shohei MutaNational Archives of Japan

3-2 Kitanomaru Park, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0091, Japan

smuta2@archives.go.jphttp://www.archives.go.jp, http://www.jacar.go.jp

Background to understand challenges faced by PM Fukuda

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 Legacy of prewar government records

management Continuous government scandals

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 (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 LawChapter 4: Use of Government Documents and Records at the NA

Article 16. 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

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

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

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■ Digital Archive System

■ Digital Gallery

Searchable digital reading room1.1 million files’ data availableDigital images of Constitutions

National Important Cultural Properties and large maps in high-definition digital format 710 images (531 items) available

National Archives Digital Archive

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records ■ Search systemProvide 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

National Archives Digital Projects

PM Fukuda and the archives?

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? 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

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 Fukudato 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

分担管理（ Buntankanri ） 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 as a head of Cabinet as PM as a head of Cabinet Office (equal to other

ministers)

Thank you