Japan’s State library reaches rare agreement with UCC

By News Editor Cormac McCarthy

The Japan's National Diet Library has granted University College Cork (UCC) access to its extensive collection, marking a significant development in Ireland-Japan relations. This agreement, a first for any university in Ireland or the UK and one of only three in Europe, solidifies the deepening ties between the two nations.

The National Diet Library, established in 1948, serves as the official library of the Japanese Parliament and ranks as the seventh largest library globally, with over 46 million catalogued items. Under this partnership, scholars and students can gain access to extensive Japanese archives, research dissertations, books, and articles, creating an internationally significant collection in Cork. This collection is expected to attract visiting scholars from across Europe and establish the first-ever Japanese collection in Ireland.

Notably, this collection includes over 200 original printings of works by Lafcadio Hearn, an Irishman renowned for introducing modern Japanese culture to Western readers. Given Japan’s leading role in scientific research across a range of fields, and the significant use of Japanese as a research language in East Asia, this acquisition can support new research in Ireland across a range of fields.

Kiri Paramore, a Professor of Asian Studies at UCC, emphasized the academic impact of this initiative, marking it as a significant milestone for Irish universities. “The collection of over 2 million pieces propels Irish universities from a catch-up position on Japanese knowledge to a Europe-leading status. It gives access to a much broader range of knowledge from a widely divergent range of perspectives, thereby deepening our understanding of the world.”

The Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, speaking at the inauguration of the Library Portal at UCC, expressed his delight over the deepening friendship between Ireland and Japan, citing the National Diet Library's decision as a pivotal step in this ongoing relationship. He extended his gratitude to the library for entrusting an Irish university with access to such a valuable resource.

Japan's Ambassador to Ireland, Norio Maruyama, stated “Through this NDL and UCC cooperation, a significant collection of Japanese materials will be established in Ireland for the first time. This resource will both enhance scientific research in Ireland, and deepen mutual understanding between the Japanese and Irish peoples over the coming decades. The access to the works of Lafcadio Hearn will allow Irish people to rediscover how important his contribution was to our bilateral relations and beyond. This agreement represents another significant step forward in relations between our two countries.”