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Public records management

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1. Enactment of the Public Records and Archives Management Act

In July 2009, the "Act on the Management of Public Records and Archives" (Act No. 66 of 2009; hereinafter referred to as the "Public Records and Archives Management Act"; under the jurisdiction of Cabinet Office) was enacted. With the enactment of the Public Records and Archives Management Act, the entire government will create and manage public records and archives based on unified rules.
*For details, please visit the Cabinet Office website " Kumonjo Kanri ".

2. What are official documents?

"Public Records and Archives" means administrative documents, corporate documents, and specific historical public records and archives (Article 2, Paragraph 8 of the Public Records and Archives Management Act).

  • Administrative document
    Documents prepared or obtained by officials of an administrative organ in the course of their duties, which are held by the administrative organ for organizational use by officials of the administrative organ (Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the Public Records and Archives Management Act)
  • Corporate document
    Documents prepared or obtained by officers or employees of an incorporated administrative agency, etc. in the course of their duties, which are held by the incorporated administrative agency, etc. for organizational use by its officers or employees (Article 2, paragraph (5) of the Public Records and Archives Management Act)
  • Specified Historical Public Records and Archives
    Among official documents and other documents that are important as historical materials, those that have been transferred to the National Archives of Japan, etc. pursuant to the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Public Records and Archives Management Act, etc. (Article 2, paragraph (7) of the Public Records and Archives Management Act)

3. Document Management Flow

  1. Create Document
  2. Organizing documents
  3. Save Document
  4. Entry and Publication in the Administrative Document File Management Register
  5. Transfer and disposal of documents

4. Management of public records and archives in Digital Agency

Digital Agency Regulations on the Management of Administrative Documents (revised on June 30, 2025 (2025))

Standard Document Retention Criteria (Retention Table)

Records of disposal of administrative document files, etc. (storage period of less than one year)

In accordance with Article 23, Paragraph 3 of the Digital Agency Administrative Document Management Rules, if administrative document files, etc. with a storage period of less than one year that do not fall under any of the items of Article 15, Paragraph 6 of the Administrative Document Management Rules are disposed of, they will be posted on this page.

5. Reporting Desk for Public Records Management

Digital Agency accepts reports on official documents from employees of Digital Agency and former employees of Digital Agency (hereinafter referred to as "Employees, etc.").
Employees, etc. may report to the reporting desk when they believe that the proper management of administrative documents is not ensured in the Digital Agency, such as when official documents have been forged, altered, or approval documents have been falsified, or when the inappropriate handling of official documents has caused serious hindrance to the operation of public services.

  • Mailing: Digital Agency Official Document Management, 20th Floor, Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioi-cho, 1-3 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0094
  • Phone: 03 4477 6775
  • Email: koubunsho _ atmark _ digital. go. jp
    *To prevent spam, "@" is displayed as " _ atmark _ ".
    When you send an email, please change " _ atmark _ " to "@" (one byte).