Overview of the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering >
Constitution of the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering

Chapter 1. General Regulations

Article 1. (Name)

The name of this association shall be the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering.

Article 2. (Office)

The Association shall place its office at 26-20, Shiba 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Chapter 2. Objective and Activities

Article 3. (Objective)

The objective of the Association shall be the advancement and development of science and technology concerning earthquake engineering and earthquake disaster reduction with the mutual collaboration of its members, and making a contribution toward earthquake disaster reduction.

Article 4. (Activities)

The Association shall carry out the following activities in order to achieve the objective stated in Article 3.
(1) Promoting research and investigation
(2) Holding scholarly meetings
(3) Publication of bulletins, collections of articles, and results of research and studies.
(4) Collection and utilization of literature and other materials
(5) Promotion and dissemination of science, technology, and education
(6) Holding lectures, seminars, exhibitions, study visits, etc., and other public relations activities
(7) Interchange of science and technology with other institutes from inside and outside Japan
(8) Awarding prizes
(9) Additional activities required for the achievement of the Association's objective

Chapter 3. Membership

Article 5. (Membership Categories and Qualification)

Membership categories and qualifications shall be as stated below.
(1)Individual Member
An individual who has the intention to study or is engaged in business in earthquake engineering, earthquake disaster reduction technology or earthquake related field.
(2) Corporation Member
A corporation such as general contractors, manufacturers, non-profitable organization, structural design offices, and others which are engaged in the earthquake engineering and earthquake disaster reduction, and its related business.
(3) Student Member
A student attending a school to study science and technology relating to earthquake engineering or earthquake disaster reduction.

Article 6. (Membership Fee and Admission Fee)

The annual membership and admission fees shall be as stipulated in the Bylaws of the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering.

Article 7. (Admission)

1. Any persons wishing to become a Member shall submit the designated application form and obtain the approval of the Board of Directors.

2. After obtaining the approval mentioned in the foregoing clause, membership of Individual Member shall become effective when admission fee and membership fee have been paid. Membership of Corporation Member or Student Member shall become effective when membership fee has been paid.

Article 8. (Rights/Privileges of Members)

1. The rights of the members shall be as stated below, exclusively belonging to themselves.
(1) Individual Members shall possess the voting right/eligibility regarding the election of the officer.
(2) Individual Members and Corporation Members are entitled to attend the General Assembly, give their opinion, and possess the voting right.
(3) Members are able to receive information by means of the Association bulletin and other means.

2. The rights of the members mentioned in items (1), (2), and (3) of the foregoing clause shall be one each. Provided that in the case of Corporation Members, each of their representative can exercise the rights mentioned in item (2) of the foregoing clause.

Article 9. (Suspension of Rights)

The rights stipulated in the forgoing article shall be suspended when any Member has neglected the payment of the membership fee for a period of eight months or more.

Article 10. (Dismissal and Restoration of Rights)

1. The Association may dismiss those Members who fall into any one of the following provisions: by resolution of the Board of Directors in the case of (1), and by resolution of the General Assembly in the case of (2).
(1) In the event that any Member neglects to pay the membership fee for one year or more.
(2) In the event that any Member brings disgrace on the Association, or acts against the objective of the Association.

2. When any ex-Member who has been dismissed wishes to re-join the Association, he/she shall take procedures in accordance with Article 7. Those who have been dismissed under (1) of the foregoing clause, shall be required to obtain approval of the Board of Directors, while those who have been dismissed under (2) of the foregoing clause, shall be required to obtain approval of the General Assembly.

3. The membership of those who have obtained approval in accordance with the foregoing clause, shall become effective, when an amount of equivalent to the eight months overdue membership fee which caused the suspension under the foregoing article has been paid.

Article 11. (Resignation)

Any Member who wishes to resign from the Association shall submit a notice of resignation following full payment of the membership fee.

Article 12. (Refund)

In the event that any Member becomes disqualified due to dismissal, resignation or other reasons, such Member may not seek refund of any admission or membership fees already paid.

Article 13. (Honorary Member)

The Association may grant a title of the Honorary Member upon approval of the General Assembly to those who have made a significant contribution to the achievement of the Association’s objective, or those who have rendered remarkable services to the advancement and development of science, technology concerning earthquake engineering and earthquake disaster reduction.

Chapter 4. Officers/Representatives and Staff

Article 14. (Officers)

1. The Association shall install the following officers;
(1) President: 1
(2) President-Elect: 1
(3) Vice Presidents: 4
(4) Directors: 12 minimum and 16 maximum
(5) Auditors: 2

2. The Association may install one Managing Director among the Directors, as the need arises.

3. Officers other than the Managing Director shall be honorary posts.

Article 15. (Election of Officers)

1. The President-Elect, Vice Presidents and Auditors shall be elected from among the Individual Members by the voting of the Individual Members, and appointed at the General Assembly.

2. Directors shall be selected and nominated by the President from among the Individual Members, and appointed at the General Assembly.

3. The Managing Director shall be selected and nominated by the President from among the Directors upon approval of the Board of Directors.

4. The Auditors may not concurrently hold any other Officer's posts.

5. Elections for the President-Elect, Vice Presidents and Auditors shall be held in accordance with the Regulations for Election of the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering.

Article 16. (Duty and Authority of Officers)

The Officers shall assume the duty stipulated in the following items, while undertaking discussions and voting regarding the important affairs of the Association at the General Assembly.
(1) The President shall undertake integration and management of all affairs of the Association, represent the Association and shall chair the General Assembly and the Board of Directors’meetings.
(2) The President-Elect shall assist the President and elaborate the progress of the Association.
(3) The Vice Presidents shall assist the President and shall act as his/her deputy following the orders specified beforehand by the President, in the event that the President is absent due to unavoidable circumstances or his/her position is vacant.
(4) The Directors shall assist the President and Vice Presidents, and shall carry out the affairs of the Association following the resolutions passed by the Board of Directors.
(5) The Managing Director shall assist the President and Vice President upon the President's instruction, and administer operation of the overall affairs of the Association, as well as carrying out tasks entrusted by the Board of Directors.
(6) The Auditors shall assume the duty stipulated in Article 59 of the Civil Code, while being granted eligibility to attend the Board of Directors’meetings, provided that they shall not vote.

Article 17. (Terms of Office of the Officers)

1. Terms of office of the President and the President-Elect shall be one year, and those of other Officers shall be two years. The terms of office of the Officers shall begin in June and end in May of the next year (for one-year term), or year after next (for two-year term).

2. Approximately half of the Vice Presidents, Directors and Auditors shall be renewed every year.

3. No Officers other than the Managing Director may be reappointed as an Officer in a position of the same category.

4. The terms of office of the Officers who have been appointed to fill a vacancy, shall be the remaining term of his/her predecessor.

5. Officers shall continue to carry out their duties until his/her successor has been inaugurated even after his/her term of office has terminated.

Article 18. (Supplementation of Officers)

In the event that a vacancy occurs for the position of Officer, it may be supplemented in accordance with Article 15.

Article 19. (Duties of Directors)

The Directors shall divide and carry out duties as follows:
General affairs, finance, membership, research affairs, information, project, and research and investigation.

Article 20. (Secretariat)

1. The Association shall install a Secretariat in order to carry out all affairs of the Association and employ staff, one of which shall be appointed as the the Secretary General.

2. Appointment and dismissal of the staff shall be implemented by the President upon resolution of the Board of Directors.

3. The labor agreement to be executed with the staff shall be implemented by the President upon resolution of the Board of Directors.

Chapter 5. Meetings

Article 21. (Convening of General Assembly)

1. The General Assembly shall be convened by the President once a year within two months following the end of the fiscal year.

2. Extraordinary General Assemblies shall be convened by the President on the following occasions;
(1) When recognized as necessary by the Board of Directors.
(2) When recognized as necessary by the Auditors.
(3) When demanded by not less than one fifth of the Officers while indicating subjects to be submitted to the meeting.

Article 22. (Notice of General Assemblies)

To convene a General Assembly, a notice including date, time, place and subjects on the agenda of the meeting shall be conveyed to the Officers, Individual Members and Corporation Members at least ten days prior to the Assembly.

Article 23. (Matters for Resolution at the General Assembly)

(1) Approval(s) of the annual report, settlement of accounts, inventory of property
(2) Acquisition(s) and disposal(s) of the principal property
(3) Approval(s) of the annual planning and the budget
(4) Enactment/amendment of the regulations
(5) Other(s) which the Board of Directors deems necessary
(6) Subject(s) submitted by not less than one fifteenth of the Individual Members and Corporation Members at least 30 days prior to the date of the General Assembly

Article 24. (Voting Rights at the General Assembly)

1. The General Assembly shall require the attendance of not less than one third of Individual Members and Corporation Members.

2. Proceedings of the General Assembly shall be decided by the majority of attending Individual Members and Corporation Members, and the Chairman shall decide when the votes are equally divided.

3. Exercise of the voting right of the Individual Member or Corporation Member who cannot attend may be mandated to another attending Individual Member or Corporation Member.

4. The mandate stipulated in the foregoing clause shall be deemed as attended.

Article 25. (Organization and Holding of the Board of Directors)

1. The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be organized by the President, the President-Elect, Vice Presidents and Directors. It shall be held six times every year and may be held at any time when deemed necessary by the President, or when demanded by not less than one third of the Directors while indicating subjects to be submitted to the meeting.

2. The persons who are deemed necessary by the Auditors and President may attend the meetings of the Board of Directors and give their opinion.

Article 26. (Matters for Resolution of the Board of Directors)

In addition to matters stipulated in the agenda of the General Assembly and this Constitution, the Board of Directors shall vote on all matters which are not within the competence of the General Assembly, for the operation of the Association.

Article 27. (Resolution of the Board of Directors)

1. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall require the majority attendance.

2. Proceedings of the meetings shall be decided by majority of those in attendance, and the Chairman shall decide when the votes are equally divided.

3. Exercise of the voting right may be mandated to another attending Officer.

4. The mandate stipulated in the foregoing clause shall be deemed as attended.

Chapter 6. Annual Meeting and Committees

Article 28. (Annual Meeting)

The Association shall hold the Annual Meeting at least once every year by inviting all the Members, which includes presentations of the Members' works and other events necessary for the achievement of the Association's objective.

Article 29. (Committees)

1. The Association shall organize committees required for accomplishment of the Association's affairs as well as the activities stated in Article 3.

2. The Board of Directors shall decide on the creation or dissolution of the committees.

3. Committee members shall be nominated by the President upon resolution of the Board of Directors.

4. When subcommittees are organized under any committee, the upper level committee shall oversee them and report or request deliberation of items mentioned in previous sections 2 and 3 to the Board of Directors, as the need arises.

Chapter 7. Assets and Accounting

Article 30. (Assets)

1. The assets of the Association shall be divided into three categories; base assets, working assets and reserve assets.

2. The base assets shall consist of contributions made specifically as base assets as well as contributions of which transfer to the base assets has been approved by the General Assembly.

3. The working assets shall be the assets other than the base assets and reserve assets.

4. The reserve assets shall consist of a reserve fund which has a specific purpose.

Article 31. (Property Management)

1. The property management and accounting of the Association shall be administered by the President in accordance with the Regulations for Accounting of the Japan Association for the Earthquake Engineering and the methods determined by the Board of Directors.

2. Revenue and/or property of the Association shall not be distributed to the members.

Article 32. (Restrictions of Base Assets)

The base assets may not be consumed nor offered as security. However, when there are compelling reasons in order to execute a project, it may be consumed or offered as security so long as this represents a part of the said base asset, upon approval by the General Assembly.

Article 33. (Disbursement of Expenses)

Expenses of the Association shall be disbursed from the membership fees and assets as well as revenue, contributions and other income generated by the activities of the Association.

Article 34. (Settlement of Accounts)

With respect to the settlement of accounts and inventory of property, the Association shall obtain approval of the General Assembly by attaching the Auditors’remarks, within two months following the end of every fiscal year.

Article 35. (Matters Out of Budget)

Matters not included in the budget; bearing of new liability; relinquishing of any rights; and/or any loan which cannot be paid off with the revenue of the Association within the concerned fiscal year, shall be approved by the General Assembly.

Article 36. (Fiscal Year)

The fiscal year for the Association shall begin on the 1st of April every year and end on the 31st of March of the following year.

Chapter 8. Amendment of the Constitution and Dissolution

Article 37. (Amendment of the Constitution)

The amendment of the Constitution shall be made after being approved by not less than three quarters of the attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.

Article 38. (Dissolution and Disposition of Remaining Property)

1. The dissolution of the Association shall be made upon approval of not less than three quarters of the attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly respectively.

2. The disposition of the remaining property shall be carried out by donating to the public utility service(s)/corporation(s) which hold similar objectives with that of the Association, following resolution under the foregoing clause.

Chapter 9. Supplementary Rules

Article 39. (Establishment of the Rules)

Necessary rules for enforcement of the Constitution shall be stipulated separately.

Supplementary Provisions

1. This Constitution shall be effective from January 1, 2001.

2. The first Officers of this Association upon establishment shall be as follows.
(1) Terms of office of the President/President-Elect and one Vice President appointed in January of 2001 shall be until May of 2001. Terms of approximately half of the other Officers shall be until May of 2002, and the terms of the remaining Officers shall be until May of 2003.
(2) Officers shall be elected at the establishment General Assembly meeting (on December 20, 2000), notwithstanding the Article 15.