MONUMENTA NIPPONICA. - A semiannual publication of advanced Japanese culture, founded and published in 1938 by the Sophia Universitas of Tokio, established and directed by the Society of Jesus.
Its aim is to disseminate, by scientific methods, the rich treasures of Far Eastern culture, giving particular prominence to the characteristic values of Japanese tradition in every field: literature and the arts, prehistory, ancient and recent history,
ethnology, comparative religions. Special attention is devoted to the period of the first century of Christianity (1551-1650) and to relations between Japan and the West. Besides monographic articles (studies and documents based on original research), each issue contains translations of Japanese sources and texts of primary importance for the various fields of inquiry embraced by the M. N. This is followed by reviews of books pertaining to the subject and surveys of cultural periodicals. The publication, suspended for eight years, resumed (for the time being in a single annual issue) with vol. VII in 1951. It admits the principal languages of Europe and also includes articles in Japanese. The M. N. also publish separately a series of monographs and more extensive studies.