Overview

The National Diet Library (NDL) is the parliamentary library of the National Diet of Japan and was founded in 1948 by the National Diet Library Law, in accordance with Article 130 of the Diet Law, which states in part that "The National Diet Library shall be established in the Diet by a separate law, in order to assist Diet Members in their study and research."

The mission and role of the NDL is stipulated by the National Diet Library Law.

"Mission: The NDL is hereby established as a result of the firm conviction that truth makes us free and with the object of contributing to international peace and the democratization of Japan as promised in our Constitution." (From the Preamble of the National Diet Library Law).

"Role: The National Diet Library shall collect books and other library materials for the purpose of assisting the members of the National Diet in the performance of their duties and also for the roles of providing certain library services as hereinafter specified for the executive and judicial agencies of the national government and for the people of Japan." (From Article 2 of the National Diet Library Law).

The NDL is tasked with the following three basic roles: (1) Support to the Diet; (2) Acquisition and preservation of materials and information, and; (3) Providing the public with access to information resources.

Source: Library website