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Japan Foreign Steamship Association (JFSA) is a voluntary
nonprofit organization comprising of the local subsidiaries,
branches and representatives of foreign steamship operators
in Japan.
The JFSA traces its root to the meeting
of group of foreign steamship operators that was held in
Yokohama in 1946. In 1951, the Foreign Steamship Committee,
the association’s mother organization which was founded in
Tokyo, commenced its full-fledged activities. At that
time, the Kansai region already had a similar group, the Kobe
General Shipping Committee (later renamed as Kansai Foreign
Steamship Committee). But in 1963, the Kanto and Kansai organizations
decided to merge, giving birth to the nationwide organization
Foreign Steamship Committee, which headquartered in Tokyo.
In 1978, the official English name of the organization was
changed to the Japan Foreign Steamship Association. The organization
is normally referred to as the “Gaikoku Senpaku Kyokai” in
Japanese.
JFSA provides the forum for opinion exchange
among its members concerning the challenges that are common
to the foreign ship operators in Japan. They also come up
with proposals on improvements related to international shipping
markets and the operation of ports in Japan, when circumstances
require. For this end, the organization strives to foster
close relationships with the Japanese government and other administrative
offices, the Japan Harbor Transportation Association (JHTA),
the Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA) and other organizations
that are considered significant to the shipping industry,
and holds periodic meetings with its members.
As its administrative body, JFSA has its Executive
Committee that is composed of 12 companies, whose members
are chosen at the general assembly held at the end of October
each year. A chairman and two vice-chairmen are elected from
the 12 members, who then assume the task of managing the organization.
Since JFSA is a voluntary group, and not a negotiating body,
the Executive Committee possesses no right to make binding
decisions for the whole group. However, when there are serious
matters that need to be tackled, the committee endeavors
to get a consensus among the members, as much as possible,
and then gives out its own advice regarding the matters at
hand. |
