Amended on October 20, 1999

Chapter 1. General Rules

Article 1. Name

The name of this Institute shall be the Architectural Institute of Japan.

Article 2. Head Office

The Institute shall place its head office at 26-20, Shiba 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo.

Article 3. Chapters

The Institute shall establish its chapters by dividing Japan into the following nine regions; Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Tokai, Hokuriku, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu.

Chapter 2. Objective and Activities

Article 4. Objective

The objective of the Institute shall be the advancement and development of science, technology and art concerning architecture, with the mutual collaboration of its members.

Article 5. Activities

The Institute shall carry out the following activities regarding architecture in order to achieve the objective stated in Article 4.

(1) Promoting research and investigation
(2) Holding scholarly meetings
(3) Publication of the Institute journals, collection of articles, and results of research and studies
(4) Collection and application of literature and other materials
(5) Educational promotion
(6) Holding lectures, seminars, exhibitions, study visits etc., and other PR activities
(7) Interchange with other institutes
(8) Awarding of prizes
(9) Management of the AIJ Building
(10) Additional activities required for the achievement of the Institute's objective

Chapter 3. Membership

Article 6. Membership Categories and Qualifications

1. Membership categories and qualifications shall be as stated below.
   (1) Member
   (a) An individual who has the intention to study architectural science, technology and art and who possesses the qualifications stipulated in the Bylaws of the Institute (hereinafter called "Bylaws").
   (b) A corporation such as architectural design or engineering offices, general contractors, building services contractors, building material traders, and others which are engaged in the architecture related business.
   (2) Student Member
   An undergraduate student who has the intention to study architectural science, technology and art, and who is other than those mentioned above (a).
   (3) Supporting Member
   Either an individual, a corporation or a group who supports the objective and activities of the Institute.
   
2. Student Members shall be eligible for transfer to the status of Member upon obtaining the undergraduate degree.
   

Article 7. Membership Fee and Admission Fee

The annual membership and admission fees shall be as stipulated in the Bylaws, and individual Members and Student Members shall be required to pay an admission fee.

Article 8. Admission

1. Any individual or corporation wishing to become a Member shall submit the designated application form through the introduction of a Member, to obtain approval of the Board of Directors.
   
2. Membership of Member or Student Member shall become effective when admission fee has been paid.
   

Article 9. Rights/Privileges of Members

1. The rights/privileges of the members shall be as stated below, exclusively belonging to themselves.
   (1) Members shall possess the voting right/eligibility regarding the election of Officers/Representatives.
   (2) Members are entitled to attend the General Assembly and give their opinion.
   (3) All members shall receive the Institute journal.
   (4) All members shall be granted privileges regarding the Institute's publication, and be entitled to attend all activities of the Institute.
   
2. The rights/privileges of the members mentioned in items (1), (2) and (3) of the foregoing clause shall be one each. Provided that in the case of corporate Members, each of their representative can exercise the rights/privileges mentioned in items (1) and (2) of the foregoing clause.
   

Article 10. Suspension of Rights/Privileges

The rights/privileges stipulated in the foregoing article shall be suspended when any member has neglected the payment of the membership fee for a period of four months.

Article 11. Dismissal and Restoration of Rights

1. The Institute may dismiss those members who fall into any one of the following provisions; by resolution of the Board of Directors in the case of (1), and by resolution of the General Assembly in the case of (2).
   (1) In the event that any member neglects to pay the membership fee for one year or more
   (2) In the event that any member brings disgrace on the Institute, or acts against the objective of the Institute
   
2. When any ex-member who has been dismissed wishes to re-join the Institute, he/she shall take procedures in accordance with Article 8. Those who have been dismissed under (1) of the foregoing clause, shall be required to obtain approval of the Board of Directors, while those who have been dismissed under (2) of the foregoing clause, shall be required to obtain approval of the General Assembly.
   
3. The membership of those who have obtained approval in accordance with the foregoing clause, shall become effective, when an amount equivalent to the four months overdue membership fee which caused the suspension under the foregoing article has been paid.
   

Article 12. Resignation

Any member who wishes to resign from the Institute shall submit a notice of resignation following full payment of the membership fee.

Article 13. Refund

In the event that any member becomes disqualified due to dismissal, resignation or other reasons, such member may not seek refund of any admission or membership fees already paid.

Article 14. Life Member

Any individual member who continuously holds membership for more than fifty years, shall be given the status of the Life Member upon approval of the Board of Directors.

Article 15. Honorary Member

The Institute may grant a title of the Honorary Member upon approval of the General Assembly to those who have made a significant contribution to the achievement of the Institute's objective, or those who have rendered remarkable services to the advancement and development of science, technology and art concerning architecture.

Chapter 4. Officers/Representatives and Staff

Article 16. Officers

1. The Institute shall install the following officers;
   

   President: 1
   Vice Presidents: 5
   Directors: 14 minimum and 18 maximum
   Chapter Directors: 9
   Auditors: 2
   

2. The Institute may install one Managing Director among the Directors, as the need arises.
   
3. The President, Vice Presidents, Directors, and Chapter Directors stated in Clause 1 hereof shall be the directors of the Civil Code.
   

Article 17. Representatives

The Institute shall install a minimum of 80 and a maximum of 120 Representatives.

Article 18. Personnel under the Civil Code

The Officers and Representatives shall be regarded as personnel under the Civil Code.

Article 19. Election of Officers/Representatives

1. The President, Vice Presidents and Auditors shall be elected from among the Members by the voting of the Representatives and appointed at the General Assembly.
   
2. Three of the Vice Presidents shall be from the Members belonging to research/educational related institutions, of which two shall be from the Members who reside in the region of the Kanto Chapter and the other shall be from the Members who reside in the rest of the regions.
   
3. Two of the Vice Presidents shall be from the Members not belonging to research/educational related institutions.
   
4. Directors shall be selected from the Members and appointed at the General Assembly. Two or more Directors shall be selected from the Members who reside in the region other than that of the Kanto Chapter.
   
5. The Managing Director shall be selected and nominated by the President from among the Directors upon approval of the Board of Directors.
   
6. The Chapter Directors shall be elected from the Members who reside in each chapter region by the vote of the Members who reside in the said region, and appointed at the General Assembly.
   
7. The Auditors may not concurrently hold any other Officer's posts.
   
8. The Representatives shall be elected from the Members who reside in each region stated in Article 3, by vote of the Members who reside in the said region.
   
9. Elections for the President, Vice Presidents, Chapter Directors, Auditors and Representatives shall be held in accordance with the Regulations for Election of the Architectural Institute of Japan (hereinafter called "Regulations for Election").
   

Article 20. Duty and Authority of Officers/Representatives

1. The Officers shall assume the duty stipulated in the following items, while undertaking discussions and voting regarding the important affairs of the Institute at the General Assembly.
   (1) The President shall undertake integration and management of all affairs of the Institute, represent the Institute and shall chair the General Assembly and the Board of Directors' meetings.
   (2) The Vice Presidents shall assist the President and shall act as his/her deputy following the orders specified beforehand by the President, in the event that the President is absent due to unavoidable circumstances or his/her position is vacant.
   (3) The Directors shall assist the President and Vice Presidents, and shall carry out the affairs of the Institute following the resolutions passed by the Board of Directors.
   (4) The Managing Director shall assist the President and Vice Presidents upon the President's instruction, and shall administer operation of the overall affairs of the Institute, as well as carrying out tasks entrusted by the Board of Directors.
   (5) The Chapter Directors shall represent the Chapter and carry out and settle the affairs of their respective Chapters.
   (6) The Auditors shall assume the duty stipulated in Article 59 of the Civil Code, while being granted eligibility to attend the Board of Directors' meetings, provided that they shall not vote.
   
2. The Representatives shall undertake discussions and voting regarding the important affairs of the Institute at the General Assembly on behalf of the Members.
   

Article 21. Terms of Office of the Officers/Representatives

1. The terms of office of the Officers/Representatives shall be two years. The terms of office of the Officers shall begin in June and end in May of the year after next, while the term of office of the Representatives shall begin in April and end in March of the year after next.
   
2. Approximately a half of the Vice Presidents, Directors, Auditors and Representatives shall be renewed every year.
   
3. No Officers other than the Managing Director may be reappointed as an Officer in a position of the same category.
   
4. The terms of office of the Officers/Representatives who have been appointed to fill a vacancy, shall be the remaining term of his/her predecessor.
   
5. Officers/Representatives shall continue to carry out their duties until his/her successor has been inaugurated even after his/her term of office has terminated.
   

Article 22. Supplementation of Officers/Representatives

In the event that a vacancy occurs for the position of Officer/Representative, it may be supplemented in accordance with the following items;
(1) For the positions of President, Vice Presidents or Auditors, it shall be in accordance with Clause 1 of Article 19.
(2) For the positions of Directors, it shall be in accordance with Clause 4 of Article 19.
(3) For the positions of Chapter Directors, it shall be in accordance with Clause 6 of Article 19.
(4) For the positions of Representatives, it shall be supplemented from the Representatives in reserve provided by the Regulations for the Election.

Article 23. Duties of the Directors

The Directors shall divide and carry out duties as follows;
General affairs, finance, membership, research affairs, library and information, projects, and management of the AIJ Building

Article 24. Secretariat

1. The Institute shall install a secretariat in order to carry out all affairs of the Institute and employ staff, one of which shall be appointed as the Secretary General.
   
2. Appointment and dismissal of the staff shall be implemented by the President upon resolution of the Board of Directors.
   
3. The labor agreement to be executed with the staff shall be implemented by the President upon resolution of the Board of Directors.
   

Chapter 5. Meetings

Article 25. Convening of General Assembly

1. The General Assembly shall be convened by the President twice every year within one month before the commencement of the fiscal year, and within two months following the end of the fiscal year.
   
2. Extraordinary General Assemblies shall be convened by the President on the following occasions;
   (1) when recognized as necessary by the Board of Directors,
   (2) when recognized as necessary by the Auditors,
   (3) when demanded by not less than one fifth of the Officers/Representatives while indicating subjects to be submitted to the meeting.
   

Article 26. Notice of General Assemblies

To convene a General Assembly, a notice including date, time, place and subjects on the agenda of the meeting shall be conveyed to the Officers/Representatives by mail, telegraphic means or the Institute journal, at least ten days prior to the Assembly.

Article 27. Matters for Resolution at the General Assembly

The following matters shall be voted on at the General Assembly, in addition to the matters stipulated separately herein.
(1) Approval(s) of the annual report, settlement of accounts, inventory of property
(2) Acquisition(s) and disposal(s) of the principal property
(3) Annual planning and the budget
(4) Enactment/amendment of the regulations
(5) Approval for enactment of the Chapter rules, and approval for annual report/settlement of accounts and inventory of the property of the Chapters
(6) Other(s) which the Board of Directors deems necessary
(7) Subject(s) submitted by not less than one fifteenth of the Officers/Representatives at least 30 days prior to the date of the General Assembly

Article 28. Resolution of the General Assembly

1. The General Assembly shall require the majority attendance of the Officers and Representatives.
   
2. Proceedings of the General Assembly shall be decided by the majority of attending Officers and Representatives, and the chairman shall decide when the votes are equally divided.
   

Article 29. Voting Rights at General Assembly

1. The Officers/Representatives shall have one voting right each.
   
2. Exercise of the voting right may be mandated to another attending Officer or Representative.
   
3. The mandate stipulated in the foregoing clause shall be deemed as attended.
   

Article 30. Organization and Holding Meetings of the Board of Directors

The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be organized by the President, Vice Presidents, Directors and Chapter Directors. It shall be held once every month and may be held at any time when deemed necessary by the President, or when demanded by not less than one third of the Directors while indicating subjects to be submitted to the meeting.

Article 31. Matters for Resolution of the Board of Directors

In addition to those stipulated in the following items and this Constitution, the Board of Directors shall vote on all matters which are not within the competence of the General Assembly, for the operation of the Institute.
(1) Proposals of the General Assembly
(2) Approval for amendment of the Chapter rules, and approval for annual planning, budget of the Chapters

Article 32. Resolution of the Board of Directors

1. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall require the majority attendance.
   
2. Proceedings of the meetings shall be decided by a majority of those in attendance, and the chairman shall decide when the votes are equally divided.
   

Chapter 6. Annual Convention and Committees

Article 33. Annual Convention

The Institute shall hold the Annual Convention at least once every year by inviting all members, which includes presentations of members' works and other events necessary for the achievement of the Institute's objective.

Article 34. Committees

1. The Institute shall organize committees required for the accomplishment of the Institute's affairs as well as the activities stated in Article 5.
   
2. The Board of Directors shall decide on the creation or dissolution of the committees.
   
3. Committee members shall be nominated by the President upon resolution of the Board of Directors.
   

Chapter 7. Assets and Accounting

Article 35. Assets

1. The assets of the Institute shall be divided into three; base assets, working assets and reserve assets.
   
2. The base assets shall consist of contributions made specifically as base assets as well as contributions of which transfer to the base assets has been approved by the General Assembly.
   
3. The working assets shall be the assets other than the base assets and reserve assets.
   
4. The reserve assets shall consist of a reserve fund which has a specific purpose.
   

Article 36. Property Management

1. The property management and accounting of the Institute shall be administered by the President in accordance with the Regulations for Accounting of the Architectural Institute of Japan and the methods determined by the Board of Directors.
   
2. Revenue and/or property may not be distributed to the members.
   

Article 37. Restriction of Base Assets

The base assets may not be consumed nor offered as security, however, when there are compelling reasons in order to execute a project, it may be consumed or offered as security, so long as this represents a part of the said base asset, upon approval by the General Assembly as well as by the Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture.

Article 38. Disbursement of Expenses

Expenses of the Institute shall be disbursed from the membership fees and assets as well as revenue, contributions and other income generated by the activities of the Institute.

Article 39. Settlement of Accounts

With respect to the settlement of accounts and inventory of property, the Institute shall obtain approval of the General Assembly by attaching the Auditors' remarks, within two months following the end of every fiscal year.

Article 40. Matters Out of Budget

Matters not included in the budget; bearing of new liability; relinquishing of any rights; and/or any loan which cannot be paid off with the revenue of the Institute within the concerned fiscal year, shall be approved by the General Assembly as well as by the Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture.

Article 41. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year for the Institute shall begin on the 1st of April every year and end on the 31st of March of the following year.

Chapter 8. Amendment of the Constitution and Dissolution

Article 42. Amendment of the Constitution

The amendment of the Constitution shall be made upon approval of the Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture after being approved by not less than three quarters of the attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly respectively.

Article 43. Dissolution and Disposition of Remaining Property

1. The dissolution of the Institute shall be approved by not less than three quarters of the attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly respectively.
   
2. The disposition of the remaining property shall be carried out by donating to the public utility service(s)/corporation(s) which hold similar objectives with that of the Institute, following resolution under the foregoing clause and obtaining approval of the Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture.
   

Chapter 9. Supplementary Rules

Article 44. Establishment of the Rules

Necessary rules for the enforcement of the Constitution shall be stipulated separately.