Abstract
This study reveals that the concept of ‘essence’, which is often considered as specific for only digital records, is
effective for the preservation of the Specified Historical Public Records and Archives, and proposes a
comprehensive preservation policy for the National Archives of Japan (NAJ) that incorporates ‘essence’. For this
purpose, this report: (1) reviews the circumstances of NAJ's digital preservation and confirms that the concept of
‘essence’ is included in the relevant laws and regulations of NAJ, (2) summarizes history and issues of this concept
in terms of international digital preservation approach, and (3) points out this concept is actually not limited to
digital records by examining the preservation approach of analog records of NAJ etc.
Assuming digital and non-digital are mixed for a while, comprehensive preservation policy will be effective in
transition to digital records management.
https://ror.org/00k6n7177 
