Japanese collection The Japanese collection is a rich source of information on the history, culture and current affairs of Japan, The collection is the largest in Australia and focuses primarily on modern and contemporary Japan. The major strengths are in the subject fields of the social sciences, especially popular culture and contemporary social issues. Japanese modern history (after 1868 Meiji Restoration) includes the history of Australia-Japan nation to nation and people to people relationships. The collection on Japanese traditional performing and visual arts are also is growing. A further strength of the Japanese collections is a number of research collections. They include Harold S. Williams Book Collection (on the history of foreign settlements in Japan), Sakakibara Collection and Kegan Paul Collection both on Japanese and East Asian classics.