History
Processes of Japan Society of Traffic Engineers (JSTE) Foundation
Taking advantage of the first road maintenance five-year-program from 1954, road maintenance projects were just worked well in Japan.
The field of traffic engineering, which worked for modern road traffic safety and smoothly, was really narrow twenty years ago. Recently, road traffic has been increasing; therefore, traffic accidents or traffic congestion happened a lot. As a result of that, people recognized that the research about traffic engineering or application today are needed and should be known.
In these social demands, the committees at Japan Road Association or Express Highway Research Foundation of Japan research about and cope with traffic engineering issues. However, the field of traffic engineering includes road structures, regulations, controls, or educations. Therefore, it is important that integration of various fields to make traffic safe and smooth. Also, all the parties concerned face with the difficulties of the problem solutions because the fundamental research about traffic engineering are not enough. The movement of the establish JSTE had such the backgrounds.
In 1962, some of the young people concerned about road constructions made a plan to found traffic engineering research center, and the foundation was the beginning of JSTE. In 1963, many parties, for example traffic police, were agree with the movement; therefore, we had chanced to discuss about features or management of JSTE. In the first period of 1964, we made plans for future visions.
In September 15th, 1964, we discussed the foundation with the Ministry of Construction, the National Police Agency, public corporations, and academic or private leaders. As a result of that, it was clear that we needed to decide the characteristic and management objectives of the organization. Until in the first period of 1965, we had about 10 meetings for preparing. Then, we made the final plans of the purpose of the foundation, the regulations of the organization, or the contents of activities. During that, we got the agreement by Japan Road Association, Express Highway Research Foundation of Japan, and Japan Traffic Safety Association, and they donated totally \100,000 for the foundation. Also, we decided that JSTE was established as a private organization, at Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, and we made the list of names for the foundation promoters in September, 1965. In October, 1965, foundation prompters sent letters for the request of the participation to related organizations or associations, and also announced the first conference for the foundation. Because of the announcement, many organizations or associations applied for the admission.
In December, 1965, we prepared about party organs, news, or lecture classes and decided that the foundation conference was hold in January 14, 1966. Also, we talked about budget plans or project plans. The letters of invitation for the foundation conference were sent to foundation promoters or members who admitted, and the conference was hold.
The Japan Society of Traffic Engineers Foundation Assembly
The assembly was hold at the first meeting room in Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, from 2PM, January 14th, Friday, 1966, First, Yukichi Hirokawa gave the opening address, and then Shiro Ibukiyama made a speech in behalf of the promoters for the foundation, instead of Akira Kikuchi who was absent from the assembly because of sickness. Next, Shinichiro Asai informed about the processes of the foundation. After that, Kazu Hoshino was elected as the temporal chairperson, and they started to discuss the proceedings.
After excited discussion, bill number 1, the regulation of the society was decided to be same as the original. Bill number 2, the election of officials was decided smooth. Next, Kenichi Fujimori, elected as the vice-president, expedited the proceedings instead of Hoshino. And also, he gave the inaugural address instead of the president, Akira Kikuchi. After that, Kazu and Hoshino gave the inaugural addresses. The project plan in 1965 and the budget for financial 1965 were decided as same as the original bill.
In spite of article 10 of the regulations, regular membership fees were decided \500 a year. Also, it was passed to approve that the regular membership fee was charged before the assembly was hold.
After discussed the proceedings, they started an informal gathering for discussion. In the discussion, Stutomu Takano, Mikio Takahashi, Eiji Yonetani, and Genzo Kobayashi instead of Yukio Onouchi delivered congratulatory addresses. Also, congratulatory telegrams were introduced. In the congratulatory addresses, they stated that they would often keep in touch with Japan Road Association, Express Highway Research Foundation of Japan, ***, and would promote fundamental research of which the organizations could take advantage. That is all how the Japan Society of Traffic Engineers was founded, blessed by every field, and the assembly was closed.
Dissolution and Foundation of Japan Society of Traffic Engineers
Since established as an unauthorized organization in January 1966, we have focused on researching about traffic engineering. After that, we had some difficulties such following reasons. Therefore, we requested to become an authorized organization. Then we were approved it in May 20, 1978, as a result of the discussion at the managing executives conference.
- Clear the social status or guarantee because the organization scale became bigger.
- Difficult to receive contract research as an unauthorized organization
- Difficult to offer the members to have business trips for research activities
Secretariat Council including Managing, Accounting, Research, Project, Editorial Committees discussed the characteristics as an authorized organization, distinction the project concepts from other similar academic associations, the organization and activities themselves in the future. Also, we made proposal documents of the meaning of the establishment and the article of the association with agreement of Japan Road Association, Express Highway Research Foundation of Japan, Japan Traffic Safety Association, which approved of the establishment, and requested beforehand investigation to the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Construction (current Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport) in December 1978. After the investigation by both the ministries and the agency, the number of the executives or conference quorums was modified, and “Managing Executives”, included in the original bill, was deleted because they had to be in the office.
The National Police Agency finished the investigations of attached materials about the application of permission for the establishment including not only the article of the association in March 1979, but also project and budget plans of 1979 and 1980 as business years. In 14th regular conference in May 29, 1978, we presented about the activities and accounts in 1978. Then, we got the agreement with dissolution of the unauthorized organization and disposal of remained property. Finally, it was decided that the first general meeting was hold in May 29th 1970.
14th general conference was hold at Aoi-Kaikan in Ttranomon, Minato ward, from 10am on Tuesday, May 29, 1979. The president was the chairman Kanou Hoshino in the conference. Bill number 1, ‘The Official Report in1978 business year’, and bill number 2, ’The Financial Report, in 1978 financial year’, were approved. After that, the chairman Hoshino explained about bill number 3, ‘Dissolution’ as ‘we decided to dissolute the unauthorized organization because of the establishment of Japan Society of Traffic Engineers, and the dissolution date was the date before starting Japan Society of Traffic Engineers.’ As a result of that, everybody agreed with the decision. Also, nobody disagrees with bill number 4, ‘Disposal of Remained Property’, so the conference was closed.
Later, the general meeting for the establishment of Japan Society of Traffic Engineers was hold, and there were 600 people (including people who delegate authority to a deputy) attended to it. Hosino was elected the president and discussed about bill number 1, ‘Decision of the Establishment’, and bill number 2, ‘Investment of the Article of Association’, and everybody agreed with those. Next, we discussed about bill number 3, ‘Officials Election’, and Teizou Amasaki and 22 people became the executives, and Minoru Tamura and one more person became the supervisors.
After decision making of bill number 3, the president suggested that everybody took a rest. During that, executives’ conference was hold for election of the president and vice president in another room. As a result of the election, the president was Kanou Hoshino, and vice president were Yoshikazu Imatake, Nobutaka Katahira, and Kenichi Fujimori. After the break, everyone approved the election.
We discussed Bill number 4, ‘Donation’, which there was the remained property (\9,390,924) from the previous unauthorized organization and recognized it.
Original bill number 5, ‘The Project Plan and Budget in 1989 business year’ and original bill number 6, ‘The Project Plan and Budget in 1990 business year’ were approved. We discussed bill number 7, which is ‘Election of the Organize President’, and decided that the organizers were all officials. The chairman, Hoshino, became the organize president due to the attendance.