Read Japan book donation event launched at RSU library
Photo: RSU
On 3 November, the RSU Library hosted a Japanese Culture Day, attended by representatives of the Embassy of Japan in Latvia. The event featured a lecture ‘Contemporary Japan: Society, Innovation and Traditions’, the opening of a book exhibition and a tour of the library’s renovated Information Centre.
Agrita Kiopa, Vice-Rector for Science, and Satoshi Isono, Counsellor at the Embassy of Japan in Latvia, addressed the audience.
Agrita Kiopa emphasised that books are like a window onto another country. For RSU, as a university of medical education and social sciences, this collection offers not only an insight into Japan but also provides students and researchers with the opportunity to draw inspiration from these books and use them as a point of reference in their own research.
‘These books not only offer an insight into Japan but also provide general knowledge,’ said Satoshi Isono, expressing his hope that students would make use of the books and take a greater interest in Japan.
‘If you want to know something, you have to look for it yourself.’
In his speech, he also quoted Haruki Murakami: ‘If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.’
The book donation promotes a better understanding of Japan
Over several years (2019, 2023, 2024, 2025), the RSU Library has received valuable additions to its collection – a total of 228 books – donated by the Read Japan Project. The donated books cover a wide range of Japan-related topics, including culture, history, diplomacy, economics, religion and more.
Supported by the Nippon Foundation and the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, the initiative aims to promote a deeper understanding of Japan across the world by donating high-quality books about Japan in English.
Books available to all library visitors
The donation enriches the RSU Library’s collection, offering valuable insights into Japan and strengthening cooperation between Latvia and Japan.
The RSU Library greatly appreciates the opportunity to receive such an extensive collection of books from the Read Japan Project. This collaboration not only enriches the library’s offering but also supports its mission to provide library users, including students and academic staff, with a diverse range of high-quality academic resources.
The donated books are available to all RSU Library visitors.
The RSU Library expresses its gratitude to the Embassy of Japan for its longstanding cooperation and support.
About the Read Japan Project
Read Japan Project has been donating books worldwide since 2008, covering various topics, including politics, international relations, economics, business, society, culture, literature, art and history. The project aims to provide readers across the world with an accurate picture of Japan through book donations.
