Rules and Bylaws of the Association

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR MIDDLE EAST STUDIES: GENERAL RULES

Enacted April 1985
Amended May 13, 2000
Amended May 13, 2006
Amended May 16, 2009
Amended June 29, 2020

Article I. Name

Section 1: This association shall be called the “Japan Association for Middle East Studies (JAMES).”

Article II. Objectives

Section 1: The association promotes and disseminates research on the Middle East within the framework of area studies.

Section 2: The association encourages the exchange of scholarly information among association members and scholarly contacts and exchanges with institutions and societies concerned with the Middle East, whether in Japan or abroad.

Article III. Activities

Section 1: In order to accomplish the abovementioned objectives, the association will conduct the following activities:

a. Organize a general meeting and an annual conference.

b. Organize lectures and research seminars.

c. Publish an association journal, entitled Annals of Japan Association for Middle East Studies (AJAMES).

d. Promote other activities deemed necessary to further the association’s objectives.

Article IV. Membership

Section 1: Association members shall be classified as follows:

a. Regular or student member: Any individual with an interest in the study of the Middle East and agrees to pay dues to the association.

b. Supporting member: Any individual or group who approves of and desires to support the objectives and activities of the association, and pays the required dues.

c. Membership dues are to be paid on an annual basis (fiscal year April 1 to March 31) .

Article V. Application for Membership

Section 1: An individual or a group wishing to become an association member shall submit a written application and pay the required membership dues. All applications are subject to approval by the association’s board of directors.

Article VI. Association Officers

Section 1: The association shall be managed by the following officers:

a. A president

b. Councilors

c. Directors

d. Two auditors

Article VII. Duties of the Association’s Officers

Section 1: The president shall represent the association and supervise all its affairs. The councilors shall act as advisors to the president. The directors shall administer the activities of the association. The auditors shall review the association’s financial accounts.

Section 2: Persons other than association officers may be appointed to committees set up to carry out specific association activities.

Article VIII. Appointment of Association Officers

Section 1: The president will be elected from among the association’s directors.

Section 2: The councilors will be chosen from and elected by the association’s regular members.

Section 3: The directors will be elected by the councilors. However, whenever necessary, the board of directors may add members selected from the general membership.

Section 4: The auditors, once recommended by the board of directors, will be elected at the general meeting.

Article IX. Terms of Office

Section 1: All association officers will serve terms of two years. The president may serve not more than two consecutive terms and the directors not more than three consecutive terms.

Article X. Staff Members

Section 1: In order to facilitate the management of its affairs, the association will set up a secretariat, an editorial committee, and a committee on international relations.

Article XI. Bylaws

Section 1: In order to put the general rules into effect, bylaws will be enacted.

XII. Amendment and Repeal of the General Rules

Section 1: Any amendment and repeal of the association’s general rules will require a decision of the general meeting

BYLAWS

Enacted May 15, 1999
Enacted May 15, 1999
Amended May 13, 2000 Amended May 11, 2002 Amended May 13, 2006 Amended May 12, 2007 Amended May 24, 2008 Amended May 16, 2009 Amended May 8, 2010 Amended May 12, 2012 Amended May 11, 2019

Article I. Membership

Section 1: Clerical Procedures

All association members are required to submit written admission applications and notify the association in writing of all changes in the information contained in the application and of the relinquishment of membership.

Section 2: Termination of Member Rights

Any member in arrears will be deprived of membership rights, which include making presentations at the annual conference and contributions to the association’s journal, during the year(s) of nonpayment.

Section 3: Lapse of Membership

Any member who fails to pay membership dues for three consecutive years will be removed from the association’s rolls. Members who fall into arrears will be so informed from time to time, if possible, by the association’s secretariat. Those who apply for readmission must pay the entire amount in arrears.

Article II. Membership Dues

Section 1: Payment of Dues

Regular members and student members shall pay yearly dues of ¥10,000 and ¥5,000 respectively. Supporting members will be requested to pay yearly dues in allotments of ¥50,000. At least two allotments are generally requested from each supporting member.

Section 2: Exceptions regarding the Payment of Dues

Taking into consideration finances and other factors, the board of directors is at liberty to grant special treatment to certain members with regard to the payment of dues. Separate rules will be made in such cases.

Section 3: Payment Charges

All charges associated with the payment of dues will be borne by the payer.

Article III. Association Officers

Section 1: One auditor will serve on the association’s election committee.

Article IV. Association Meetings

Section 1: A majority will be attained at a meeting of the board of directors or councilors where at least one-half of the members are present and at a general meeting where at least one-fifth of the association’s membership is present. All letters delegating authority received prior to any association meeting will be counted in the roll call to determine a majority.

Article V. Secretariat

Section 1: The board of directors will appoint a chairperson of the secretariat. The secretariat will be formed within a university or research institute through discussions among the association’s directors or their colleagues.

Section 2: The secretariat will take charge of all the association’s clerical affairs, publish newsletters in Japanese and English, and carry on other activities to promote the exchange of information among association members.

Article VI. Editorial Committee

Section 1: The board of directors will appoint a chairperson of the editorial committee and entrust the committee with the publication of the association’s journal, AJAMES.

Section 2: Relation to the Secretariat

a. The task of publishing the association journal is hereby removed from the duties of the secretariat and entrusted to the editorial committee.

b. The editorial committee will take responsibility for all the publication stages of AJAMES, from the call for articles to the completion of its printing.

Article VII. Committee on International Relations

Section 1: The board of directors will appoint a chairperson for the committee on international relations and entrust the committee with international academic exchanges.

Article VIII. Committee on Public Relations

Section 1: The board of directors will appoint a chairperson for the committee on public relations and entrust the committee with public relations.

Section 2: Members of the committee for public relations are selected/elected by the chairperson and the existing members of the committee.

Section 3: The committee on public relations will take responsibility for transmitting information about the association and its activities through the association’s website, mailing list, and social networks.

Section 4: This bylaw will require a decision from the committee on public relations and the board of directors in a general meeting.

Article IX. Election of Association Officers

Section 1: The board of directors nominates four members (including one auditor) to form an election committee, which is charged with conducting and supervising the election of the association’s directors and councilors.

Section 2: No more than sixty councilors and thirteen directors will be elected.

Section 3: In the case of a tie, lots will be drawn to determine the person elected.

Article X. Supplement

Section 1: These bylaws are effective as of the dates of their enactment and amendment.