Trustees

The Japan Society is a company limited by guarantee and as such is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. It is a registered charity. As set out in the Articles of Association, the Board of the Japan Society consists of a Chair, up to two Vice-Chairs, up to four appointed officers (Solicitor, Treasurer, Editor and Librarian), two ex officio Trustees (one additional Vice-Chair, the deputy head of mission at the Japanese Embassy, and one ordinary Trustee, a member of the Japanese Embassy) with up to 20 Trustees in total.

Vice Chairs are elected annually by the board from their number. It is also the board which appoints the four officers: solicitor, treasurer, editor and librarian. There is no maximum term to these four appointments, but any appointments should be re-confirmed every three years. The board has the right but no obligation to appoint Vice-Chairs, solicitor, treasurer, editor and librarian.

All other members of the board (with the exception of the two ex officio Trustees from the Embassy) are elected for a term of three years. At the end of the first term, Trustees may stand for re-election for a second three-year term. No one may serve as an ordinary Trustee for more than six consecutive years.

The board meets at regular intervals in order to provide strategic direction and to monitor and review the activities of the Society. During the year the board met five times, one being an extended meeting at which the board and executive considered together issues facing the Society in the medium to long term.

All Trustees give of their time freely and no Trustee received remuneration in the year. Details of Trustees' expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in the annual accounts.