Workshop on Information Resources for Japan

Complied and researched by Haruko Nakamura
Based on research by Sharon Domier
2006 PIER Summer Institute:
"Transforming Japan: Global Connections, Domestic Developments"
July 10th , 2006

I. Information literacy

Information Literacy is "the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information." In the era of the Information Age in which both reliable and unreliable information overflow, those critical skills are becoming extremely important. Information Literacy "allows us to cope by giving us the skills to know when we need information and where to locate it effectively and efficiently. It includes the technological skills needed to use the modern library as a gateway to information. It enables us to analyze and evaluate the information we find, thus giving us confidence in using that information to make a decision or create a product." -- ( Information Literacy by the Association of Colleges & Research Libraries )

Evaluating Web Pages--Widener University

Hammond, Ellen. "Problem-based Learning for Information Literacy in Japanese Studies." (Under Reading Materials)

II. Some recommended sites for Japanese Resources

General

Asia for Educators - Columbia University
Excellent collection of materials useful for teaching a wide variety of topics related to Japan. They include lesson plans, handouts and primary reading sources. The site also contains recommended materials and websites, visual images and video commentaries on certain topics by distinguished scholars in the fields.

Web Japan
Sponsored by Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) provides highly reliable information on Japan across many different subject areas, including culture, sightseeing, society, history and nature.

JIN: Japan Information Network
Provides English-language links to various Japanese websites that provide official information on the Japanese government, the Supreme Court, business news, opinion polls, etc. It also links to JBS (Japan Broadcasting Systems) providing video clips of daily news from Japan and other social and cultural aspects of Japan.

The Japan Forum
Although registration is required for this site, "TJF photo data bank" provides a great quantity of photographs capturing the daily lives of young Japanese. "Japanese culture and daily life" issues articles on everyday Japanese culture in English.

National Clearinghouse for U.S.-Japan Studies
Funded by the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership. Provides lesson plans, databases, annotated bibliographies and links useful to teaching on Japan.

A Country Study: Japan
Even though this site's information is not updated, one may find it useful to read each of short descriptions and analysis of the various historical settings and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of Japan presented by the Library of Congress.

For specific information needs

Online Visual and Media resources -
Contemporary Japan: Culture & Society
Collection of commentaries on Japanese contemporary culture & society by distinguished scholars in those fields.

The Visual Museum of Traditional Japanese Arts
This virtual museum offers comprehensive selections of Japanese traditional arts accompanied by descriptions and photographs.

TJF Photo Data Bank
Photographs on the topic of the daily lives of young Japanese. The images are produced primarily by high school students or The Japan Forum (TJF) and are accompanied by year and descriptions of photographs. All are free to download for educational purposes.

MIT visualizing cultures
This site is established to provide "a gateway to seeing history through images that once had wide circulation among peoples of different times and places." It contains visual images representing various perspectives on Japan since the mid-19th century on such topics as Westernization, imperialism, militarism and commercialization. Each image is complemented by a description, video clips of interviews and explanations of images, bibliographies and lesson plans. All images are downloadable for educational purposes.

Japan desu!!
PhotoLibrary provides royalty-free photographs of Japan. All pictures are loosely indexed by topics.

Japan Broadcasting System
The broadcasting company site airs daily Japan's top news in English as well as video clips on various Japanese social issues.

Japan video topics
List of video clips explains various aspects of Japanese cultures in English.

List of Selected Japanese visual resources available online
Lists additional visual resources compiled by Yale East Asia Library.

Statistics –
Web Japan
This site provides basic and compiled statistical data in English, all of which include a list of the original source materials. Most of these data are updated monthly.

Japan: An International Comparison
This is an annual guide published by The Keizai Koho Center. It provides comparative statistics on many different topics with many tables and graphs.

Maps and place names –
Web Japan: Gateway for all Japanese Information
This provides current information on regions, prefectures, cities, and districts and their official homepages.

Japan Atlas
The site presents visual presentations on local characteristics to those interested in nature, local traditions, and current social trends in Japan.

Newspaper –
ABYZ News Links
This site collates links of major online newspapers in Japan

For premodern Japanese literature, consult the list of translations from classical Japanese up to 1600 compiled by Michael Watson.

Journals and Publications

NIPPONIA
This journal features articles on Japanese culture in Japanese, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Russian and Spanish

Japan Focus
"Japan Focus is a refereed electronic journal and fully-indexed archive that chronicles contemporary Japan and the Asia Pacific. It offers Japanese and international analyses of politics, economics, society, culture, war and peace, and international relations. In addition to Japan Focus exclusives, it presents translations from Japanese and other languages as well as reprints of important articles on Japan and the Asia-Pacific in global perspective. Japan Focus draws on the contributions of researchers, journalists, policy analysts and writers throughout Asia and the Pacific and the world. It's fully indexed web site provides a permanent resource for students and researchers on Japan and the Asia-Pacific. Subscribers receive a weekly mailing announcing and linking to four to nine new articles."

Education about Asia
This journal is published by the Association for Asian Studies. Many features articles on the issue of teaching various topics on Asia.