MONUMENTA NIPPONICA. - A biannual publication of high Japanese culture, founded and published in 1938 by the Sophia Universitas of Tokyo, established and directed by the Society of Jesus.
It aims to disseminate with scientific method the rich treasures of the culture of the Far East, giving particular prominence to the values typical of Japanese tradition in all fields: letters and arts, prehistory, ancient and recent history, ethnology, comparative religions. Special attention is shown therein for the period of the 1st century of Christianity (1551-1650) and for relations between Japan and the West. In addition to 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 exploration embraced by M. N. There follow reviews of books pertaining to the subject and surveys of cultural periodicals. The publication, suspended for eight years, resumes (for now in a single annual fascicle) with vol. VII in 1951. It admits the principal languages of Europe and also gives articles in Japanese. M. N. also publishes, separately, a series of monographs and more extensive studies.