Not only for specialists in Philippine Studies, but also in Southeast Asian Studies in general, gathering and colleting research materials such as newspaper’s article and public document, in addition to information and data from field research is undoubtedly important. Exploring such research materials in Southeast Asian countries, however, is sometimes discouraging because they are oftentimes poorly preserved. For this reason, some needs to go abroad, where rich archival collection is available.

The Tribune and the Philippines Herald, two major English daily newspapers published during 1930s in the Philippines

To my knowledge, as far Philippine Studies is concerned, a lot of precious and rare research materials and documents have been available even in Japan. The Library of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University is no exception. The author, who had worked for a collaborative research project sponsored by the Center for two years from 2011 to 2012, had an opportunity to purchase the microfilms (a total of 109 reels) of the Tribune (1930 –1945) from the Cornell University, through which I could grasp the early 20th colonial Philippines.
No to mention, most useful among research materials is daily newspaper’s articles, indispensable to analyze past historical events. Good exemplars in Philippine Studies, using extensive newspaper’s articles in addition to public documents, are: The Philippine Independence Mission to the United States 1919–1934 (1983) by Bernardita Churchill, which attempts to depict the Filipino elite’s diplomacy toward its own independence from the Unites States, and The Huk Rebellion: A Study of Peasant Revolt in the Philippines (New day Publishers. 1979) by Benedict Kerkvliet, which focuses on the Hukbalahap, known as the anti-Japanese resistance movement in the Central Luzon Plain from pre-war times. English newspaper came to be published when the Philippines became an American colony in 1898. The Library of the Center deposits the microfilms of English daily newspaper, the Manila Times (1898–1930). Prior to my research project, one of serious problem specialists in and scholars of Philippine Studies in Japan cannot overlook was the absence in Japanese collection of English newspapers in Japan from 1930 to 1945. However, in cooperation with the Cornell University, and thanks to the kind assistance of Mr. Greg Green and Ms. Carole Atkinson, both curators of the library’s Southeast Asian Collection, the Center was able to purchase the microfilms of the Tribune following the Manila Times. This Manila-based nationwide English newspaper, originally published in 1925 is undoubtedly important source of research materials, leading to filling a gap between 1930 and 1945.
Undoubtedly, specialists in and scholars of Philippine Studies, who used to go the Library of Congress and American universities to investigate 1930s, can benefit this acquisition. This period involved diplomatic negotiations with the United States, which were subsequently put into reality as the establishment of the Commonwealth government in 1935 in preparation for absolute independence after a 10–year transitional period. Since only three major nationwide English newspapers – the Tribune (1925–1945), the Philippines Herald (1920–1941), and the Manila Daily Bulletin (1907–1942, 1946 – to present) – were published, the purchase of the first is of great interest to library users.

The Tribune, one of the major English daily neswpapers published in the Philippines

Furthermore, it is expected that the new acquisition, along with help of the Foronda and Ocampo Collections, preserved in the Center, will enable researchers and scholars to explore interesting agendas from a new perspective as the latter includes very rare excellent collections which can be available in the Center, some of which are Constitutional Convention Record of 1935 (11 volumes), which includes a legislative debate and argument over new constitution promulgated in 1935, and Annual Report of the Governor-General of the Philippines (1916–1935).
In short, if we are well aware of marked strength the Center’s collection has in comparison with other libraries, colleting research materials in Japan will be much easier. For example, the Institute of Developing Economies (IDE) is recommended to scrutinize newspaper of the post-independence period. Meanwhile, most comprehensive statistical data on Philippine economy during the American colonial period is available at the Institute of Economic Researches, the Hitotsubashi University (see Nagano’s essay at http://www.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/COE/Japanese/Newsletter/No.8.japanese/nagano.htm). It will also offer two distinctive administrative reports in microfilm, which include Manuscript Reports of the Governor-General of the Philippines (1916–1935) and Manuscript Reports of the U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands (1936–1940). In addition, the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILACCA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, will provide researchers with one of the most important public reports, entitled Manuscript Reports of the Philippine Commission (1900–1915).
This brief sketch will indicate that in addition to the Library’s collection, a number of rare documents are easily accessible in Japan. To carry out the efficient and practical library research in Japan, prior to going abroad, we need to know more about the latest repository condition of each library, particularly in focusing on the early 20th colonial Philippines. It is hoped that the Center will play a vital role as the “hub” of Southeast Asian Studies open to not only Japan, but also abroad.

The Tribune.
[Microfilm ed.]. — Library of Congress Photoduplication Service. — [microform].