The discipline of area-transcultural studies was introduced in Japan in the 1960's. It has since developed through a unique process by way of its encounter with the tradition of agrarian sociology based on bionomics and detailed observation and research in actual agricultural environments. At TUFS Research Institute, the discipline has enjoyed sophisticated local language research and education as a foundation, with multi-faceted collaboration among specialists in sociology and human sciences. This has produced significant results in area-transcultural studies through the utilization of academic and first-hand local language documents. However, as the world today moves ever rapidly towards globalization, there is a dynamic impact on such superficial boundaries as regions and nations, resulting in vast changes in the identities of peoples.

In the new century, "area-transcultural studies" is having its fundamental methodologies challenged as its object recognition is being challenged. There have already been several attempts to review the concept of "areas" in the past. But what has been lacking is a comprehensive document centre, and also an investigation of what kind of information will form the basis of understanding in this changing world. This project is based on the belief that the establishment of a new centre of documentation is imperative in projecting the future of area-transcultural studies in Japan into new dimensions.

Unfortunately, we do not have a comprehensive and advanced research foundation in Japan that specializes in the handling of Asian and African language documents. This means we lag behind in terms of sharing and utilizing documents as a source of information and the dissemination of information. It goes without saying that in the field of area-transcultural studies, it is necessary to embark on the establishment of a centre for documentation with a focus on new information media as a means to better understand the highly information-based world that we live in today.