[WSJ] NTT Data Digitizes Vatican Library Manuscripts for Online

NTT Data Digitizes Vatican Library Manuscripts for Online
9:48 am JST
Oct 28, 2014
By JUN HONGO
For the first time, some of the approximately 80,000 manuscripts owned by the Vatican Apostolic Library — known as “the Pope’s library” — are now viewable online, thanks to the work of one of Japan’s major technology companies.

One of the works from the archive now viewable online is a 1613 book of drawings of Japanese women performing traditional dance wearing kimono.

Another one of interest to Japanese history buffs is an oath signed by 42 Japanese Christians, also dated 1613, a time when Christians were severely persecuted in Japan.

These are among the first of thousands of historic manuscripts to be digitally preserved using equipment provided by Japan’s NTT Data Corp.

In March, NTT Data signed an initial agreement with the Vatican to work on about 3,000 of the approximately 80,000 manuscripts owned by the library, which was established in 1475. Some of the items it holds date back to the 2nd century.

“This is all done using a special scanner,” NTT Data spokesman Katsuya Tanaka told Japan Real Time. “We have about 50 staff members working at the Vatican on the project,” he said, adding that while the workers use the latest technology, they must also handle the manuscripts “with the utmost care.”

The company is also creating the format for online browsing of the artifacts. It said the total cost of the project will be about \2.3 billion ($21.3 million), with digital preservation of the initial 3,000 manuscripts expected to take until 2018.

NTT Data has also worked on a digital preservation project for Japan’s National Diet (parliamentary) Library.
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[jamawns' comment]
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Hallelujah!
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We can further research the background information of the 1st greater EastAsia-Pacific war ended in 1945.
When Japan-Sina war started on October 1937, Holy father Pius PP. XI announced to Catholic believers all over the world to support Imperial Japan, “The action of Japanese troops was not to invade, but to protect China. They are fighting to get rid of communism there. As long as communism is in the world,all Catholic believers should cooperate with Japan without hesitation.”
日中戦争（支那事変）が始まった年1937年10月に、当時のローマ法王で平和主義者として知られるピウス11世（在位1922～39年）は、この日本の行動に理解を示し、全世界のカトリック教徒に対して日本軍への協力を呼びかける声明をだした。「日本の行動は、侵略ではない。日本は中国（支那）を守ろうとしているのである。日本は共産主義を排除するために戦っている。共産主義が存在する限り、全世界のカトリック教会、信徒は、遠慮なく日本軍に協力せよ」 http://sahorimatu.exblog.jp/22431045/