Govt Panel Submits Exhibition Plan for New National Archives of Japan; Focus on Digital Technology to Appeal to Everyone

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:57 JST, February 17, 2024

A government panel of experts put together a basic exhibition concept for the new National Archives of Japan and submitted it to Hanako Jimi, state minister for regional revitalization, on Thursday.

The expert panel, named “study group on the attractive exhibition and operation of the new National Archives of Japan,” is led by Takayuki Tanaka, senior managing director, chief officer, administration, of the Yomiuri Shimbun. The main pillar of the plan is to focus on utilizing digital technology and other means to make the exhibition enjoyable for a wide range of people.

The new National Archives of Japan will open near the National Diet Building at the end of fiscal 2028. The exhibition concept positions the archives as “a record of the country’s activities and historical facts that fulfills its accountability to the public” and emphasizes the significance of the preservation of records, stressing that “without records, the country’s initiatives would not be preserved in history and could not be asserted.”

A basic policy of the exhibition is to include experience-based and other kinds of exhibits that “can be enjoyable for children and young people.” Consideration for people with disabilities and foreigners, with measures such as wheelchair accessibility and multilingual commentary, is also sought. Additionally, the plan urges the utilization of virtual reality (VR) technology, videos and models to deepen visitors’ understanding.

“I expect a rich exhibition and well-thought-out operation of the archives with an eye to international standards,” Tanaka said.

The government is expected to compile a basic plan by the end of March based on the exhibition concept.