This web page shows the definition, kinds and search methods of White Papers. The National Diet Library (NDL)'s Research Navi contains the search methods and link collections of White Papers in Japanese including Japan ― White Paper and Annual Reports and How to search White Paper.

1. Definition and Types of White Paper

In Japan, it is commonly understood that White Papers are government annual reports.

In accordance with the agreement among government ministries and agencies in 1963, White Papers are officially defined as "government publication materials edited by central government agencies, which are prepared to inform the nation of the status of politics, economics, societies and government measures."

Currently, publications of central government agencies termed as "White Papers" are:

• Statutory White Papers
  Documents submitted by the Cabinet to the Diet upon Cabinet decision-based on laws.

White Papers distributed at Cabinet meetings
Documents distributed at Cabinet meetings and reported by relevant ministers.

Other White Papers

2. White Paper - Original office's edition and Trade edition

Documents with white covers submitted to the Diet on legal basis or distributed at Cabinet meetings are called "Original office's editions". Many of their titles do not contain the term "White Paper" but titled otherwise, for example "Annual Report on Promotion of Science and Technology".

On the other hand, documents with the same contents are sold commercially to inform the public of the policy status. Those documents are called "Trade editions". Many of them have the term "White Paper" in their titles and colorful covers.

There are many cases that original office's editions and trade editions show different publication years on their covers. This is because the original offices' editions show the year before the publication year on their covers as they are prepared as annual reports of the previous fiscal year, but trade editions tend to show the year of publication on their covers.

3. White Paper - Link Collection

The following websites contain link collections of White Papers.

• Official web portal of Government of Japan e-Gov Japan White paper and Annual reports (Japanese)

Cabinet Office White Papers (English)

4. List of White Papers

【Cabinet Secretariat】

• 水循環白書 / White Paper on Water Circulation
  Japanese: 平成27年度(FY2015)～

【National Personnel Authority】

• 公務員白書 / White Paper on Public Employees
  Japanese: 昭和63年度(FY1988)～
  English: FY2016～
  English: FY2013～FY2015
  English: FY2011～FY2013

【Cabinet Office】

• 経済財政白書 / Annual Report on the Japanese Economy and Public Finance
  Japanese: Last 3 years' worth *Each coming with English explanatory notes.
  Japanese: 昭和29年度(FY1954)～
  English (Explanatory notes): FY2001～

• 防災白書 / White Paper on Disaster Management
  Japanese: 平成13年度(FY2001)～
  English: FY2015～

• 子ども・若者白書 / White Paper on Children and Young People
  Japanese: 平成22年度(FY2010)～
  Japanese: 平成8年度(FY1996)～平成21年度(FY2009)
  English (Summary): Attached to Japanese-language white papers above.

• 少子化社会対策白書 / Declining Birthrate White Paper
  Japanese: 平成16年度(FY2004)～
  English (Summary): Attached to Japanese-language white papers from FY2008 onwards.

• 高齢社会白書 / Annual Report on the Aging Society
  Japanese: 平成9年度(FY1997)～
  English (Summary): Attached to Japanese-language white papers from FY2002 onwards.

• 障害者白書 / Annual Report on Government Measures for Persons with Disabilities
  Japanese: 平成24年度(FY2012)～
  Japanese (FY1996 to 2001 are summaries): 平成8年度(FY1996)～平成26年度(FY2014)
  English (Full translation): Attached to Japanese-language white papers above.

• 交通安全白書 / White Paper on Traffic Safety in Japan
  Japanese: 平成9年度(FY1997)～
  English: Attached to Japanese-language white papers above.

• 男女共同参画白書 / White Paper on Gender Equality
  Japanese: 平成9年度、平成13年度(FY2001)～
  English: FY1996, 1998～

【Japan Fair Trade Commission】

• 公正取引委員会年次報告 / Fair Trade Commission Annual Report
  Japanese: 平成元年度(FY1989)～
  English(Outlines): FY2007～

【National Police Agency】

• 警察白書 / White Paper on Police
  Japanese: 昭和48年度(FY1973)～
  English: FY2021
  English (Digest): FY2020
• 犯罪被害者白書 / Measures for Crime Victims
  Japanese: 平成18年版(FY2006)～
  English (Outline): FY2007～

【Financial Services Agency】

• 金融庁の1年 / Financial Services Authority Annual Report
  Japanese: 平成12事務年度(FY2000)～
  Japanese:平成10事務年度(FY1998)～平成15事務年度(FY2003)
  English: None
• 証券取引等監視委員会の活動状況 / Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission Annual Report
  Japanese: 平成4年(FY1992)～
  English: FY1993～

【Consumer Affairs Agency】

• 消費者白書 / White Paper on Consumer Affairs
  Japanese: 平成29年度(FY2017)～
  Japanese: 平成22年度(FY2010)～平成28年度(FY2016)
  English: 平成28年度(FY2016)～

【Reconstruction Agency】

• 東日本大震災からの復興の状況に関する報告 / Report on the Status of Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake
  Japanese: 平成24年11月22日(2012)～

【Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications】

• 地方財政白書 / White Paper on Local Public Finance
  Japanese: 平成14年度(FY2002)～
  English (Illustrated): FY2003～
• 情報通信白書 / White Paper on Information and Communications in Japan
  Japanese: 平成24年度(FY2012)～
  English (Summary): FY2001～
• 消防白書/ White Paper on Fire Service
  Japanese: 平成20年度(FY2008)～
  English (Overviews and Extracts): FY2015～
• 公害紛争処理白書 / White Paper on the Settling of Environmental Disputes
  Japanese: 平成19年度(FY2007)～
  English: None

【Ministry of Justice】

• 犯罪白書 / White Paper on Crime
  Japanese: 昭和35年度(FY1960)～

• English: FY2000～出入国在留管理白書 / Immigration Control
  Japanese: 平成15年度(FY2003)～
  English: FY2005～

【Ministry of Justice / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology】

• 人権教育・啓発白書 / White Paper on Human Rights Education and Awareness
  Japanese: 平成25年度(FY2013)～
  ※White paper as old as FY2004 could be individually retrieved from the NDL's WAPR.
  English: None

【Ministry of Foreign Affairs】

• 外交青書 / Diplomatic Bluebook
  Japanese: 昭和32年版(FY1957)～
  English: FY1971～
• 開発協力白書・ODA白書 / White Paper on Development Cooperation ・ Japan's ODA White Paper
  Japanese: 2001年度(FY2001)～
  English: FY2002～

【National Tax Agency】

• 国税庁レポート / National Tax Agency Report
  Japanese: 2003年度(FY2003)～
  English: FY2003～

【Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology】

• 文部科学白書 / White Paper on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
  Japanese: Last 3 years' worth
  Japanese: 平成13年度(FY2001)～平成30年度(FY2018)
  English: FY2001～
• 科学技術白書 / White Paper on Science and Technology
  Japanese: Last 5 years' worth
  Japanese: 昭和33年版(FY1958)～
  English: FY2003～

【Agency for Cultural Affairs】

• 我が国の文化政策 / Policy of Cultural Affairs in Japan
  Japanese: 令和元年度(FY2019)～
  ※White paper as old as FY2011 could be individually retrieved from the NDL's WAPR.
  English: FY2018

【Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare】

• 厚生労働白書 / Annual Health, Labour and Welfare Report
  Japanese: 平成13年版(FY2001)～
  English: FY2007～
• 労働経済白書 / White Paper on the Labour Economy
  Japanese: 平成元年、平成13年版(FY1998, FY2001)～
  Japanese: 昭和24年(FY1949)～平成15年版(FY2003)
  English (Summary): FY2003～2005, FY2012～
• 自殺対策白書 / White Paper on Suicide Prevention
  Japanese: 平成28年版(FY2016)～
  Japanese: 平成19年度(FY2007)～平成27年度(FY2015)
  English: None
• 過労死等防止対策白書 / White Paper on Prevention of Karoshi
  Japanese: 平成30年版(FY2018)～
  Japanese: 平成28年度(FY2016)～平成29年度(FY2017)
  English: None
• 働く女性の実情 / Actual Status of Working Women
  Japanese: 平成10年版(FY1998)～
  Japanese: 平成7年度(FY1995)～平成19年度(FY2007)
  English: None

【Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries】

• 食料・農業・農村白書 / Annual Report on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas in Japan
  Japanese: 令和元年度(FY2019)～
  Japanese: 平成18年(FY2006)～
  English: FY2015～
  English: FY2011～2014
• 食育白書 / Shokuiku White Paper
  Japanese: 令和元年度(FY2019)～
  Japanese: 平成27年(FY2015)～
  English (Summary): FY2015～
• 農林水産省年報 / Annual report of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
  Japanese: 平成5年度(FY1993)～

【Forestry Agency】

• 森林・林業白書 / Annual Report on Forest and Forestry in Japan
  Japanese: 平成19年度(FY2007)～
  Japanese: 昭和39年度(1964)～
  English: FY2015～
  English: FY2011～2014

【Fisheries Agency】

• 水産白書 / Annual Report on the Developments in Japan's Fisheries
  Japanese: 令和元年度(FY2019)～
  Japanese: 平成19年度(FY2007)～
  Japanese: 昭和61年度(FY1964)～
  English (Summary): FY2015～
  English (Summary): FY2011～2014

【Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry】

• 通商白書 / White Paper on International Economy and Trade
  Japanese: 2014年度(FY2014)～
  Japanese: 2002年度(FY2002)～2014年度(FY2014)
  Japanese: 昭和24年度(FY1949)～平成15年度(FY2003)
  English: FY2007～
• ものづくり白書 / White Paper on Manufacturing Industries
  Japanese: 2014年度(FY2014)～
  Japanese: 2002年度(FY2002)～2013年度(FY2013)
  English: FY2007～
• 経済産業省年報 / Annual report of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
  Japanese: 平成25年度(FY2013)～
  Japanese: 平成13年度(FY2000)～平成26年度(FY2014)
  Japanese: 昭和24年度(FY1949)～平成12年度(FY2000)

【Agency for Natural Resources and Energy】

• エネルギー白書 / Annual Report on Energy
  Japanese (approx. past 10 years' worth): 平成23年度(FY2011)～
  Japanese: 平成15年度(FY2003)～平成29年度(FY2017)
  English (Summary): FY2009～

【Japan Patent Office】

• 特許行政年次報告書 / Japan Patent Office Annual Report
  Japanese: FY2015年版～
  Japanese: 平成12年度(FY2000)～平成30年度(FY2018)
  English: FY2001～

【Small and Medium Enterprise Agency】

• 中小企業白書 / White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan
  Japanese: 平成24年版(FY2012)～
  Japanese: 平成16年度(FY2004)～令和2年度(FY2020)
  Japanese: 昭和38年度(FY1963)～平成16年度(FY2004)
  English: FY1997～
• 小規模企業白書 / White Paper on Small Enterprises in Japan
  Japanese: 平成27年版(FY2015)～
  English: FY2015～

【Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism】

• 国土交通白書 / White Paper on Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan
  Japanese: 平成29年度(FY2017)～
  Japanese: 平成13年度(FY2001)～
  English: FY2001～
• 土地白書 / White Paper on Land
  Japanese: 平成13年度(FY2001)～
• 首都圏白書 / White Paper on National Capital Region Development
  Japanese: 平成12年度(FY2000)～
  English (Summary): 2006
• 交通政策白書 / White Paper on Transport Policy
  Japanese: 平成27年度(FY2015)～

【Japan Marine Accident Tribunal】

• レポート海難審判 / Marine Accident Inquiry Report
  Japanese: 平成21年度(FY2009)～
• 海難審判の現況(海難レポート) / Report on Marine Accident Inquiries in JapanMarine Accident Report
  Japanese: 平成11年度～平成20年度(FY1999～2008)

【Japan Tourism Agency】

• 観光白書 / White Paper on Tourism in Japan
  Japanese: 平成9年度(FY1997)～
  English (Summary): FY2007～

【Japan Coast Guard】

• 海上保安レポート / Japan Coast Guard Report
  Japanese: 平成9年度(FY1997)～

【Ministry of the Environment】

• 環境白書・循環型社会白書・生物多様性白書 / Annual Report on the Environment, the Sound Material-Cycle Society and Biodiversity in Japan
  Japanese: The latest issue
  Japanese: 昭和44年度(FY1969)～
  English: FY2009～

【Nuclear Regulation Authority】

• 原子力規制委員会年次報告 / NRA Annual Report
  Japanese: 平成24年度(FY2012)～
  English: FY2012～

【Ministry of Defense】

• 防衛白書 / Defense of Japan
  Japanese: 平成26年度(FY2014)～
  Japanese: 昭和45年度(FY1970)～令和3年度(FY2021)
  English: FY2014～
  English: FY2005～2013