Skip to Main Content

South & East Asia: primary sources

Japan: Western perspectives

Japan through western eyes [microform]: manuscript records of traders, travellers, missionaries and diplomats, 1853-1941
Microfilm 10605
reels
Printed guide: Firestone Microforms DS809 .J362
Consists of "manuscript diaries, journals and letters of western businessmen, tourists, teachers, missionaries, government officials, industrialists and diplomats active in Japan from its opening up in 1853 to the onset of the Second World War." See http://www.adam-matthew-publications.co.uk/collections_az/JTWE-1/description.aspx for a general description, and guides linked from http://www.adam-matthew-publications.co.uk/collections_az/listing.aspx?l=J for each part of the series. Note: we have parts 1-3 and 6-10; parts 4-5 are available at Rutgers University Library.

East meets West [microform]: original records of Western traders, travellers, missionaries, and diplomats to 1852
Microfilm 11668
reels
Printed guide: Firestone Microforms DS506 .E277
Consists of material from British libraries documenting the Western encounter with Japan, China and the East Indies, and the activities of the East India Company. Covers 1564 to 1852. See http://www.adam-matthew-publications.co.uk/digital_guides/e.aspx for online guides to each separate part of the series.

Japan: British records

British Foreign Office, Japan correspondence [microform]
Microfilm 06107
577 reels
Printed guide: Firestone Microforms DA47.9.J3B75827
Material from the British Foreign Office (FO 371), primarily correspondence between the Foreign Office and British embassies & consulates. "The documents provide a wealth of information on governmental, political, military, and economic affairs in Japan." Covers 1857-1905 and 1930-1948.

Confidential print, Japan, 1859-1957 [microform]
1457.498.41
7 (of 14) reels
Printed guide: none
Materials from the British Foreign Office (FO 410). Covers period 1859-1919.

General correspondence before 1906, Japan, 1856-1905 [microform]
1457.498.41.2
17 reels
Printed guide: none
Material from the British Foreign Office (FO 46). "This series contains general correspondence relating to Japan."

[Embassy and consular archives; correspondence: Japan. [Microform]
1457.498.41.3
16 reels
Printed guide: none
Material from the British Foreign Office (FO 262). "This series contains general correspondence from the British Embassy and consulate in Japan. From 1921 it includes accounts. It also contains a considerable proportion of files on matters of policy, including the treatment of war criminals after the Second World War." Covers 1869-

Registers (modern series) and indexes of general correspondence: Japan microform]
1457.498.41.4
3 reels
Printed guide: none
Materials from the British Foreign Office (FO 605). "This series contains microform of registers and indexes of general correspondence. The registers provide a means of reference to papers for the years 1808 to 1890 contained in the volumes of general correspondence before 1906. The registers provide details of the correspondence of ambassadors, consuls and some individuals with the Foreign Office." Covers 1815-1890. Note that this is an index only; the documents may be found in various other FO series.

Registers of General Correspondence: Japan. [Microform]
1457.498.41.5
2 reels
Printed guide: none
Material from the British Foreign Office (FO 566). "This series contains registers of general correspondence."

Japan: U.S. government records

Confidential U.S. diplomatic post records [microform]: Japan
Firestone Microforms: Microfilm 01810 (Parts 1-3)
142 reels
Printed guide: Firestone Microforms E744.C664
Material from the National Archives, Record Group 84, Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the Department of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/084.html. Pt. 1. 1914-1918 (11 reels); pt. 2. 1919-1929 (50 reels); pt. 3. 1930-1941 (81 reels). See http://www.lexisnexis.com/academic/upa_cis/group.asp?g=447

Despatches from United States consuls in Hakodate, 1856-1878 [microform]
RECAP 1096.4875.92.5
2 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, Consular Correspondence. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html#59.2.2

Despatches from United States consuls in Kanagawa, 1861-1897 [microform]
RECAP 1096.4875.92.2
22 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, Consular Correspondence. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html#59.2.2

Despatches from United States consuls in Nagasaki, 1860-1906 [microform]
RECAP 1096.4875.92
7 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, Consular Correspondence. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html#59.2.2

Despatches from United States consuls in Yokohama, 1897-1906 [microform]
RECAP 1096.4875.92.4
5 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, Consular Correspondence. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html#59.2.2

Despatches from United States consuls in Osaka and Hiogo (Kobe), Japan, 1868-1906 [microform]
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, Consular Correspondence. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html#59.2.2

Despatches from United States ministers to Japan
RECAP 1096.4875.92.3
82 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html. Covers period 1855-1906.

Notes from the Japanese Legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1858-1906 [microform]
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.

Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Japan, 1910-29 [microform]
1735.922
43 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between the United States and Japan, 1910-29 [microform]
RECAP 1096.4875.92.6
9 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between Japan and other states, 1910-29 [microform]
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Records of the U.S. Department of State relating to the internal affairs of Japan, 1930-1939 [microform]: decimal file 894
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between China and Japan, 1930-1944 [microform]
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Records of the U.S. Department of State relating to the internal affairs of Japan, 1940-1944 [microform]: decimal file 894
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Records of the U.S. Department of State relating to the internal affairs of Japan, 1945-1949 [microform]: Department of State decimal file 894
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files. Japan. Internal affairs, 1945-1949 [microform]
Microfilm 05625
42 reels
Printed guide: (Film B) DS917.35.L47
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Country Intelligence Reports on Japan  Archives Unbound

"This series consists of reports, studies, and surveys on various topics of interest to the Department of State. The reports vary from short memorandums to detailed, documented studies. The topics range from individual commodities or countries to the economic and political characteristics of whole regions. This collection consists of research and intelligence reports prepared during 1941-1947 on Japan."

Confidential U.S. State Department central files. Japan. Internal affairs, 1950-1954 [microform]
Microfilm 05466
62 reels
Printed guide: none
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Records of the U.S. Department of State relating to the internal affairs of Japan, 1950-1954 [microfilm]: Department of State decimal files 794, 894, and 994
Available through interlibrary loan from the Center for Research Libraries.
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html

Confidential U.S. State Department central files. Japan, 1960-January 1963 [microform]: internal and foreign affairs
Microfilm 10674
38 reels
Printed guide: Firestone Microforms DS889 .C663
Originals held by National Archives as part of Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State. See http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/059.html. See http://www.lexisnexis.com/academic/upa_cis/group.asp?g=461

Confidential U.S. State Department central files. Japan, February 1963-1966 [microform]: internal and foreign affairs.
Microfilm 10675
50 reels
Printed guide: Firestone Microforms DS889 .C664