A collaboration with the National Institute for Japanese Literature (NIJL), one of Japan’s premier research institutes, has been formed with the Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures (EALL) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. NIJL is Japan’s first inter-university research institute for the humanities, founded in 1972.

A memorandum of agreement was signed by NIJL Director Yuichiro Imanishi, UH Mānoa College of Languages, Linguistics & Literature Dean Laura E. Lyons and EALL Chair Robert Huey on February 16. This agreement facilitates the ways in which each organization can share its resources, expertise and talent.

One of the first projects of this agreement is a collaboration that extends beyond the two signatory institutions— NIJL and EALL will partner with representatives of UH Mānoa’s Department of Art and Art History, the UH Libraries and the Honolulu Museum of Art in a workshop that will examine rare 18th and 19th century Japanese books from the museum’s prized Lane Collection.

Working with organizations that have overlapping goals has limitless potential. For example, the Honolulu Museum of Art can increase its scholarly audience, while the academic side can gain access to unique materials found in private organizations like the museum.

“We are honored to officially and professionally collaborate with the National Institute for Japanese Literature and our campus and community colleagues, so that the people we all serve will benefit,” said Dean Lyons. “It is truly an exciting time to be a part of this inter-university effort.”