Constitution
Constitution of the Japan Society of Microgravity Application
Chapter 1 General
Article 1-Name
The name of this membership corporation is The Japan Society of Microgravity Application(“JASMA”).
Chapter 2 Purpose and Activities
Article 2-Purposes
The purposes of JASMA shall be the advancement of microgravity and space environment related sciences and their applications by promoting communications and information exchanges among members.
Article 3-Activities
To accomplish the above purposes, JASMA shall conduct the following activities:
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- To hold scientific meeting such as an annual membership meeting, research group meetings, and technical lectures;
- To publish journals, books, and technical notes;
- To cooperate and exchange with overseas societies related to microgravity sciences;
- To conduct any other activities which are necessary to reach the objectives of JASMA.
Article 4-Term
JASMA shall start its yearly term at the date of the annual membership meeting.
Chapter 3 Classes of Membership
Article 5
JASMA shall be composed of regular member, student member, and corporate associate.
Article 6
Regular member and student member shall be an individual who agrees with the purposes of JASMA and pays specified annual member fee.
Article 7
Corporate Associate shall be a corporation or institution who agrees with the purpose of JASMA and pays more than one unit of annual corporate associate fee.
Article 8
Fee in Article 6 and 7 shall be authorized by the annual membership meeting.
Article 9
One who wants to be a member should submit a specified form and get approval from the president of JASMA.
Article 10
One who wants to quit a member should submit a notice to JASMA.
Article 11
The president of JASMA can remove memberships from persons after authorization of General Committee:
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- who have failed to pay the annual member fee.
- who have been regarded as undesirable members for a de facto reason.
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Article 12
JASMA will not refund the annual member fee or annual corporate associate fee.
Chapter 4 Governing members
Article 13
JASMA shall be governed by the following members:
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- President (1 person)
- Vice-President (1 person)
- Standing Directors (less than 10 persons including president and vice-president)
- Directors (less than 8 persons. Total number of Standing directors and Directors shall not exceed 15.)
- Auditor (1 person)
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Article 14
Election Governing members should be selected by voting among regular members and authorized in the annual membership meeting. Procedures of voting should be specified in the appendices of this constitution.
Article 15
Role of President The President shall represent JASMA and play a role of chairperson in the annual membership meeting and General Committee Meetings. The Vice-President will take over the role of the President in the case of the absence of the President.
Article 16
Role of Standing Directors The Standing Directors shall organize a General Committee Meeting and conduct activities defined in this constitution by controlling a Publication Board, a Planning Board, a General Affair Board, an Accounting Board, and a Public Relations Board.
Article 17
Role of Governing Members Governing Members shall attend the General Committee Meeting and make comments on JASMA’s activity plan, Budget plan, Activity reports, Settlement of accounts, and other activities of JASMA.
Article 18
Role of Auditor should inspect JASMA’s accounting.
Article 19
Term of above governing members should be 2 years. Any member shall not belong to the governing member for more than 2 terms.
Article 20
The governing member should play their role until their followers are nominated.
Chapter 5 Advisor
Article 21
JASMA can designate advisors.
- The president shall request advisors based on the authorization of the General Committee Meeting.
- The advisors shall answer to the president’s requests.
- Terms of advisors shall be 4 years, and term can be multiple.
- The advisors shall not have to pay the annual member fee.
Chapter 6 Meeting
Article 22
General Committee shall be organized with Standing directors and directors. General Committee Meeting shall be held upon decision of the president. Any person who has been convened by the president can also attend the General Committee Meeting. The president should hold a General Committee Meeting within 14 days when more than 1/3 of board members’ request a meeting with a specific agenda.
Article 23
Matters before the General Committee Meeting shall be decided by a majority of the board members present at the meeting. When ayes and nays break even, the Chairperson shall have the deciding vote.
Article 24
Membership meetings An annual membership meeting shall be convened once a year within 3 months after the end of its fiscal year. A special membership meeting shall be convened under the following conditions:
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- If it is regarded as necessary by the President.
- If it is regarded as necessary by the General Committee.
- It is requested by ten or more of the total regular members.
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Article 25
The following items shall be submitted for discussion to the Annual membership meeting and be approved:
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- Plan and Budget of revenues and expenditures;
- Report and Settlement of accounts;
- Inventory of assets; and
- Other items regarded as necessary by the General Committee.
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Article 26
The membership meeting shall not be called to order unless one-tenth or more of the total regular member is present at the meeting. Both those who have expressed their opinions in writing may be regarded as present.
Article 27
Matters before the membership meeting shall be decided by a majority of the regular members present at the meeting. When ayes and nays break even, the Chairperson shall have the deciding vote.
Chapter 7 Assets and accounting
Article 28
The assets of the JASMA shall be as follows:
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- Admission fees, membership fees, and donation
- Other miscellaneous revenues.
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Article 29
The assets of the JASMA shall be controlled under the rules written in other document, which is authorized by the General Committee.
Article 30
Any surplus in the settlement shall be carried forward to the following fiscal year, subject to the approval of the General Committee.
Article 31
The fiscal year of JASMA shall start Jan. 1st and end Dec. 31st every year.
Chapter 8 Amendment to this constitution
Article 32
An amendment to the Constitution shall be valid if approved by two-third or more of the regular members present at a membership meeting.
Chapter 9 Appendices
Article 33
Annual membership fee is as follows:
Regular member ￥8,000
Student member ￥3,500
Corporate Associate ￥30,000(unit)
However, those who are listed below are exempt from the annual membership fee.
(1) Regular members who have had permanent membership according to the internal rules separately set by the board members.
(2) Regular members and student members who had participated the annual conference (JASMAC) of the previous fiscal year at the regular registration fee.
Article 34
Procedure for election of directors in Article 14 shall be as follows:
1. The General Committee shall send the election form (which contains a list of director candidates) to every regular member.
a. A regular member candidate who is nominated by the General Committee.
b. A regular member candidate who is nominated by 5 or more members.
c. A regular member who is nominated by himself.
2. Regular members shall vote by selecting proper candidates from the list and returning it to JASMA.
3. Directors shall be decided by a majority of vote from the regular members.
Additional Rules
After this constitution becomes valid, the 1st election should be conducted. Half of the directors selected in the 1st election shall not continue in their position in the following term. However, term for the President and the Vice President is exceptional.
(This constitution has been effective since March 28, 2022.)