Founded in 1938 and published semiannually by Sophia University, Monumenta Nipponica (MN) is one of the oldest English-language academic journals in the field of Asian studies. As a peer-reviewed international forum for researchers across the globe, it carries original scholarly contributions on premodern and modern history, literature, art history, religion, and thought; translations of important Japanese literary and historical sources; and authoritative reviews of recent books on Japan.

Sophia University was established in Tokyo in 1913 by the Society of Jesus. Beginning its educational efforts with a small staff and only a handful of students, the university confronted many difficulties in its early years. The decision in 1938 to undertake publication of Monumenta Nipponica despite these problems symbolized the founders' commitment to academic excellence, an international orientation, and a liberal spirit. Today, building on this tradition, Sophia has developed into one of Japan's leading private universities, with a student body of 11,000 and a multinational faculty of 1,000.