Japanese archaeology in the 1990s

As scientific archaeology takes hold in Japan, our understanding of the nat ure and content of Japanese prehistory is changing radically. All of the pe riod boundaries of Japanese prehistory are being rewritten, and many new 'a rchaeologies' are growing up around particular scientific techniques. New p ublications in English give greater access to archaeological thinking in Ja pan, while Japanese publications focus on ever-narrowing aspects of prehist oric lifeways. Policy changes are giving archaeologists more access to the imperial tombs, and rescue teams are under less obligation to 'save everyth ing' as selective preservation is instituted.