Because there is little tradition of archives administration in modern Japan, enormous quantities of public and private records have been destroyed or dispersed. The loss of records was accelerated by World War 2 and its aftermath. Since the 1950s, however, when local historians began a movement for the better preservation of records, archives services in local authorities have been gradually developing. The central government set up the National Archives in 1971. The Japan Society of Archives Institutions, which was organized in 1974 and joined the International Council on Archives in 1986, is making efforts to promote archives legislation and a professional training programme for archivists. Greater international cooperation is needed to promote archives development in Japan.
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References
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