Press Releases
The 40th Meeting of the Committee for the Promotion of the Declassification of Diplomatic Records
June 25, 2026
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan transfers documents with historical significance that are more than 30 years old to the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry, in principle, and makes them available to the public. Of these, documents related to important cases that are expected to receive many inquiries are selected and made public in December every year after a special review (identification of information to be restricted for the public use) by the Committee for the Promotion of the Declassification of Diplomatic Records (referred to as "special declassification").
- On June 25, the 40th meeting of the Committee for the Promotion of the Declassification of Diplomatic Records, headed by Mr. ONISHI Yohei, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the meeting, the members of the Committee reviewed the declassification of diplomatic records on one of the overseas visits by Japanese dignitaries and relations with Asian countries in 1995.
- In addition, the members of the Committee adopted a summary of achievements in declassifying diplomatic records and challenges at the meeting. (available only in Japanese. )
(Reference1) Committee for the Promotion of the Declassification of Diplomatic Records
To promote the declassification of diplomatic records in a transparent manner, the rules on the declassification of diplomatic records were set in 2010 and the Committee for the Promotion of the Declassification of Diplomatic Records was also established based on the rules.
