1. Aims
The aims of the Japan Association of National Universities (JANU) are stipulated in the fourth article of the Association Regulations as follows`...to contribute to the development of National Universities by encouraging close communication and cooperation between National Universities.'JANU carries out surveys and research studies necessary for the advancement of National Universities as a whole, as well as projects essential for mutual cooperation and assistance in education between National Universities.

2. Historical Review
In the midst of the turmoil and poverty of post-war Japan, the concept of the `new university' was brought to fruition under the National University Establishment Law, enacted and promulgated in May 1949 as part of the rapid reforms to the educational system put in place by the occupation forces. In order to achieve equal opportunity in education, the new National Universities were established evenly on the principle of one university per prefecture, avoiding over concentration in the major cities. The National Universities in each prefecture were to become the centers of research and education, contributing to the advancement of culture and development of industry in each prefecture. The success of this new plan hinged solely on the development of facilities and educational staff in each university. Thus the JANU was established on July 13, 1950, with the express purpose of addressing these issues through strengthening cooperation between National Universities.
The founding President of the JANU, Shigeru Nanbara (President of The University of Tokyo) said that the primary purpose of the JANU was to defend the `freedom of scholarship' as specified in the new Constitution of Japan, and to establish this as an immovable principle. The issues of autonomy of universities and freedom of scholarship should not be defended solely by the individual actions and traditions of universities, as was the case before the Second World War. Rather, these should be regarded as common issues, defended and established by the collective organization and power of many universities.

3. Governance
Office bearers of the JANU consist of Members of the Board, which are elected by dividing Japan into six major regions, with Directors of the Board elected from each region. The current office bearers, including the added position of Auditor, are as follows.

4. Organisation (operating bodies) and Administration
The JANU is a voluntary body operating from membership funds of the eighty-seven National Universities, and is not an incorporated body. The Association achieves its objectives through the following deliberative bodies, outlined from (1) to (5) below.

(1) General Assembly
● The General Assembly is the highest deliberative body of the JANU, and consists of Presidents of the National Universities, who are representatives of the Association's member universities.
● General Assemblies consist of Ordinary General Assemblies and Extraordinary General Assemblies. Ordinary General Assemblies are held twice a year (in June and November).

(2) Board of Directors
● The Board of Directors consists of the Directors of the Board and the Chairpersons of the Standing Committees. They are responsible for resolving matters related to the running of the Association.
● Regular meetings of the Board of Directors are held three times a year (in March, June and November).

(3) Board of Executive Directors
● The Board of Executive Directors consists of the President, Vice-President and the Chairpersons of the Standing Committees. It is responsible for resolving matters related to the day-to-day running of the Association, as well as matters concerning the General Assembly and the Board of Directors.
● The Board of Executive Directors meets as often as the need arises.

(4) Standing Committees
● Standing Committees consist of University Presidents as Chairpersons of the Committees, academic members selected by the Board of Directors, as well as specialist members selected from the academic staff of National Universities.
● There are eight Standing Committees, as indicated by the table below.

(5) Ad hoc Committees
Ad hoc Committees are established as the need arises, in order to conduct study and research into particular areas. The Board of Directors appoints committee members.
●At present, there are four Ad hoc Committees in operation, as indicated by the table below.

5. Office Staff
The JANU has on staff a Director and two Assistant Directors, under which two sections are placed: the Management Section (responsible for management, accounts and liaison) and the Conference Section (responsible for conferences, planning and investigations). There are a total of 12 members of staff.

6. Activities
Since its establishment in 1950, the JANU is now in its fifty-third year of operation in 2003. The following is a review of the representative activities of the Association so far, arranged in ten-year periods:
The first decade: After the Second World War, the multi-track higher education system was reformed into a more homogenous system of independent four-year universities. From the outset there were major problems in administration, finance and infrastructure, which JANU worked conscientiously to overcome.
The second decade: As in the West, campuses were rife with disputes dealing with issues such as the revision of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty and the Anti-Vietnam War movement. The JANU worked towards the appeasement of student revolt, as well as promoting the autonomous government of individual Universities by eliminating outside pressure.
The third decade marked the period of high economic growth. It was also a time when youngsters of the post-war baby boom generation reached university entrance age. The JANU tackled the problem of rapid rise in student numbers and took measures to increase student intake. At the same time, the Association finally achieved its long-awaited goal of concurrently administering the Scholastic Test of the first stage of entrance examinations for all National Universities.
In the fourth decade, the JANU concentrated its efforts on the reform of entrance examinations at National Universities, including the common first stage Scholastic Test initiated a decade earlier. In order to promote international exchange with universities in various countries, an invitation program for foreign university presidents was launched, which continued for the next twenty years.
The fifth decade marked the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II. The government and the Ministry of Education (which was renamed the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in January 2001) launched various inquiries to consider the possible reform and reorganisation of universities and the reform of the education system. In response to these inquiries, the JANU has worked hard at putting forth and articulating views reflecting the opinions of National Universities. In addition, on the issues of liberal arts education and equal opportunity between men and women in society, the JANU has brought together various opinions, including voices that have urged the Association to play a more active role in these areas. On the international exchange front, the JANU has made concerted efforts to promote short-term mutual exchanges with undergraduate students from various countries, especially with students from the United States and Europe. In addition, the Association has cooperated with other public and private universities to establish a UMAP (University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific) International Secretariat Office in Japan. With the imminence of issues before us about the form of establishment of National Universities as Independent Administrative Corporations, the Association has spared no effort in tackling the problems.
Since entering our fifth decade and the 21st Century, the Association has made concerted efforts to deal with the government policy of National University reform (the establishment of National University Corporations and the radical reorganisation and merging of National Universities) from the standpoint of National Universities. We have established ad hoc committees for this issue and discussed the proper form of National Universities. At the same time, we have participated in government meetings to offer our opinion as the main party making up the backbone of Japanese Education and Research. The JANU has worked tirelessly to create National University Corporations that would take into account the special educational and research characteristics of National Universities.
After the National University Corporation Law was passed, the JANU continued to promote the view that this law should be operated in deference to each National Universityﾕs autonomy. The Association continues to lobby the government in various ways through official requests and the issuance of position papers. Also, while most of our members, the National Universities, are busily preparing their own administrative structures under the new system, the Association continues to provide back up through solving common problems and equipping our members with the latest information.

7. Towards the establishment of the new Federation of National Universities
As described above, Japanese National Universities are being renewed as University Corporations in April 2004, being transformed from institutions under the direct auspices of the government to institutions having a high degree of autonomy to manage themselves. Of course, this will have a great bearing on the nature of the JANU from now on.
With this in mind, the Association is considering its own renewal as the new Federation of National Universities; its precise form and activities are being discussed on the Ad hoc Committee for Preparation for the new Federation of National Universities. The Association intends to be renewal developmentally as a corporation aggregate (KOEKIHOJIN) in April of next year.