ICA_organizationalchart (PDF-format)
The International Council on Archives(ICA)was founded in 1948 with assistance extended by UNESCO. As a non-governmental organization, ICA aims to ensure mutual contacts among the archives of various countries, and to contribute to their development. ICA has its headquarters in Paris and has a membership of over 1700 national archives, regional archives, professional organizations, educational institutions and archival professionals from all over the world.
ICA holds the quadrennial International Congress on Archives and in other years holds annual International Conference of the Round Table on Archives (CITRA), which consists of the presidents or directors of t he national archives and other professional institutions of the affiliated countries.
The National Archives of Japan became an ICA member in 1972, and since then it has positively implemented international cooperation by engaging in specialized archives-related discussions and by exchanging information with other countries Larchives and archivists.
The National Archives arranged a session entitled "Exploring the Frontiers of Japanese Archives" which was held during the 15th International Congress on Archives in August 2004 in Vienna, Austria. This session, which received a high evaluation, consisted of five presentations on Japanese archivesL current situations prepared by representatives from the National Archives of Japan, the Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, the Diplomatic Record Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japan Society for Archival Science, and the Japan Image and Information Management Association.
Based on the ICA Constitution that was newly agreed upon at the ICA General Assembly in Vienna in 2004, the first ICA election was held in March 2005 and votes from the members were cast for key positions, among which the President of the National Archives of Japan, as an executive committee member, was elected as the Head Representative of the National Archives of Member Countries. At the Executive Committee held in Washington DC in April of the same year, he was elected unanimously as the Vice-President of ICA and was delegated by the ICA President to preside over the preparations for CITRA.
Based on the provisions of Article 53 of the ICA Constitution, which states, "Members of ICA wishing to further the aims of ICA and to strengthen cooperation within a particular geographical area, may group themselves into regional branches," there have been established 13 regional branches.
The National Archives of Japan is a member of East Asian Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (EASTICA),which was inaugurated in Beijing in July 1993. The member countries and regions are China, Mongolia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People Ls Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, and Macao.
EASTICA contributes to the development of the archival institutions in the East Asia region by organizing a biannual General Conference, Executive Board meetings, workshops, and seminars. In October 1997 the Third General Conference of EASTICA was held in Japan under the theme "Development History of Archives and their Historical Holdings relating to East Asia."
In January 2003 EASTICA and University of Hong Kong co -organized a three-week training course in Hong Kong to which eminent archivists and scholars were invited as instructors. Staff members from the national archives of each country/region including Japan joined the event. This program was highly valued by the ICA Secretariat and still continues to be held today. The President of the National Archives of Japan served as the Chairman of EASTICA from 1997 to 1999, and is currently serving as the Vice-Chairman since 2003.
The staff of the National Archives visits other countriesL archives and studies their facilities, functions, and various services.The National Archives also welcomes visiting archivists and trainees from all over the world, and introduces its activities to them.
In 2003 we received a trainee from the National Archives of Ghana and hosted a six-month professional training in repair techniques under an invitation program of the Japan Foundation.
In November 2004 we invited the Librarian and Archivist of Canada and the Assistant Director-General of the National Archives of Australia to take part in the International Symposium "Keeping Historical Records into the Future -Challenges for Development and Consolidation of Japanese Archives" co -hosted with the Cabinet Office. This symposium welcomed about 200 participants from archives-related organizations and governmental institutions.
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