The CEA has its antecedents in the Institute of Japanese Studies, set up in May of 1993 at the behest of Professor Dr. D. José María Ruiz Ruiz, a former professor at Sophia University in Tokyo, director of the department of English Philology at the University of Valladolid.

The current CEA begins its journey in 2000 but was formally constituted on 23 May 2001 when it was celebrated the first meeting of the Board of Trustees, maximum component of the Centre. On June 29, 2001 met the Council of CEA where were approved activities for the period 2001-2002 and produced the official appointment of the different positions. Public or private entities of Law, as well as university professors are part of the Board of Trustees. It will be chaired by the Rector of the University, or the person who the Rector delegates, this person will represent the Centre. The competencies of the Board of Trustees, CEA objectives… appear in the Regulation of CEA.

The Asian Studies Centre at the University of Valladolid is constituted as specific structure with functions of research under the provisions of the University Reform Law (art. 3-2 G) and in accordance with the purposes for which attends the University of Valladolid, in accordance to its statutes (art. 6 (B). The CEA is created in the contest of the participation founding entities mentioned in the article 10.

CEA is dedicated to the formation, the research and the technological development for the following purposes:

• The formation of qualified personnel in both enterprises and cultural institutions, as the University.
• The consolidation of a group of competent investigation in the field of the culture, economy, science and technology and language of the countries of Asia in Spain. The accomplishment of basic and applied investigations in the areas of common interest for the University and the managerial area and cultural Asian represented in the CEA.
• The accomplishment of projects and programs with managerial and cultural projection, established the necessary cooperation between Asian and Spanish universities. It offers his services to public or private entities of the Spanish society interested in the knowledge of the reality of the countries of Asia, by means of the training in transcultural knowledge and compared management compared.