Historical perspective; the Statement on Intellectual Freedom in libraries in Japan

In 1954 the all-Japan Librarians’ conference of Japan Library Association adopted the Statement on Intellectual Freedom in Libraries. Internationally in those days only American Library Association adopted Library’s Bill of Rights (1934) and formed the Committee on Intellectual Freedom to Safeguard the Library Users to Freedom of Inquiry. Through analysis of the social background for adopting a statement on intellectual freedom, this paper presents the missionary thought and hope of Japanese librarians on library and information services after being defeated in World War 2 and having struggled to re-construct Japanese society.