THE ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN
THE ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN
The Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Japan (ABAJ) was established in November 1964 by ten major antiquarian booksellers of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. This was a time when Japan was experiencing an unprecedented economic growth and Japanese collectors, scholars, and curators were avidly selling and purchasing rare material domestically and internationally. The ABAJ was founded with the aim of developing the Japanese antiquarian book trade to meet an increasingly global age. In 1965, at the recommendation of Mr. Menno Hertzberger of Amsterdam and Mr. Glen Dawson of Los Angeles, the ABAJ became a member organization of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). Since then, the ABAJ has grown with the motto of ILAB. "AMOR LIBRORUM NOS UNIT" to include 27 members.
In the summer of 2020, I took over the presidentship of ABAJ (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Japan) from Mr. Takehiko Sakai.
The two years from now on, I would like to do my best as past presidents did for ABAJ/ILAB.
In the antiquarian book trade, we are suffering from the COVID-19 and many cultural activities are affected negatively on a worldwide scale. I think we antiquarian book dealers should find an alternative way of innovation to find good books and distribute to our customers.
I hope to contribute to antiquarian book trade, having closer relationship to ILAB affiliates sharing the motto of “Amor Librorum Nos Unit”. Thank you.
Shoichi TAKAGI, Konando Bookshop
Copyright (C) ABAJ 日本古書籍商協会. All rights reserved.
ABAJ List of Members（PDF/320KB）