Japanese Art Research Portal 'ART PLATFORM JAPAN' Releases 'Japanese-English Bilingual Glossary' on May 18

The National Center for Art Research (NCAR), part of the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Director: Masayuki Tanaka), has released the "APJ Japanese-English Bilingual Glossary" today, May 18. This glossary, featuring approximately 300 terms, is available on "Art Platform Japan (APJ)," a research portal that collects and disseminates information on Japanese modern and contemporary art and museum collections nationwide.

### Resources: - "Resources for Art Translation" (within APJ): [https://artplatform.go.jp/ja/research-guides/translation](https://artplatform.go.jp/ja/research-guides/translation) - "APJ Japanese-English Bilingual Glossary" (PDF): [https://contents.artplatform.go.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/APJ_glossary_20260518.pdf](https://contents.artplatform.go.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/APJ_glossary_20260518.pdf)

APJ is a specialized art website providing global access to information on Japanese modern art and museum collections, supported by over 220 museums and galleries across Japan. NCAR, as a national center supporting research in Japanese art, operates APJ to enhance Japan's presence in the global art field.

The "Resources for Art Translation" section introduces books and websites for verifying style guides, specialized terminology, and transliteration rules required for art translation. It targets practitioners and researchers in museums, universities, and research institutions involved in translating art literature, exhibition materials, and work descriptions, covering art from various periods.

This new glossary aims to provide a foundation for translation and promote international understanding by offering guidance for selecting appropriate English equivalents for specialized art terms—a long-standing challenge in Japanese-to-English translation. It uniquely focuses on modern and contemporary Japanese art terminology, organizing vocabulary related to art groups, systems, and exhibitions to support the international dissemination of Japanese art criticism and literature.

The glossary primarily selects terms used in APJ's "Dictionary of Japanese Artists" (DAJ), providing transliteration, English translation, and the original Japanese name for each entry. Brief explanations are added to some terms to help distinguish between similar specialized terms.

The release of this glossary is expected to facilitate the international sharing of knowledge and debate regarding Japanese modern and contemporary art across language barriers. APJ plans to continue adding and revising terms to strengthen the global infrastructure for research, criticism, and dissemination of Japanese art.