MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA. June 13, 2018—The Japan Times, Ltd. is pleased to announce the addition of new content to its digital archive database, offered by East View Information Services.

This new content covers the period from the turbulent years of the Bakumatsu (final years of Edo) to the birth of the Meiji government, and includes rare historical events and details aspects of Japanese society from 150 years ago.

The Japan Times digital archive (www.eastview.com/resources/gpa/the-japan-times) spans 120 years and contains every page of the newspaper, from its inaugural edition in 1897 to 2017. Since the launch of these archives in 2013, this resource has proven popular with libraries and educational establishments and enjoyed praise from academics and researchers for its valuable insight.

The new digitized content comes from an English-language newspaper established by the Englishman, Charles Rickerby, in Japan on September 8, 1865, 30 years before the establishment of the current The Japan Times.

The additional content features contributions from Ernest Satow, a British diplomat who is said to have deeply influenced Japanese history. His contributions include articles under the title “British Policy,” as well as abridged translations of diaries of Japanese delegates to Europe. It’s believed that Satow’s “British Policy” was a major influence on the Meiji Restoration. Translations of these essays were also distributed in small booklets to supporters of the Restoration at the time of newspaper’s publication.

As 2018 marks the anniversary of 150 years since the Meiji Restoration, this is a perfect time to look back and read about the social upheaval that occurred during the modernization of Japan.

Overview of the New Content

• Product name: “The Japan Times of 1860s” Digital Edition
• Period: September 1865-June 1866
• Content: 223 pages, weekly paper, 4-8 pages per issue. Includes domestic and foreign news, information on foreign ships and court trials, ads for companies, notices from embassies, and more
• Access plan: Optional purchase with The Japan Times digital archive or independent purchase

East View offers this additional content through a one-time purchase. Contact East View at [email protected].