I would like to express my profound gratitude to all those who have contributed to bringing this project to fruition. First and foremost, I am deeply indebted to the exceptional Monash librarian team—Susie Phillips, Mitchell Reid, Jenny Fafeita, Mia Goodwin, and former librarian Veronica Delafosse—whose expertise and dedication were instrumental throughout this journey. Special thanks to Copyright Adviser Megan Deacon for her invaluable guidance.

I extend my sincere appreciation to the two anonymous reviewers whose thoughtful and critical feedback significantly enhanced the quality of this work. I am also grateful to all my students who provided valuable feedback on early drafts, helping to shape and refine this work.

This manuscript has benefited immensely from the meticulous attention of Dr Sara Kitaoji, who undertook the considerable task of proofreading over 100,000 words across all chapters with remarkable precision and care.

I am especially grateful to Associate Professor Beatrice Trefalt and Associate Professor Jeremy Breaden from the Japanese Studies Program for their unwavering support. Their belief in this ambitious project, assistance with the Council of Australian University Librarians grant application, and continued encouragement were vital to its realisation. Indeed, without their support, this project would never have come to fruition.