Revised on May 10, 2000

(Purpose)
Article 1

The purpose of the organization committee of the Forum on Thermalism in Japan (hereafter the Forum) is to allow a union of scholastic socities, related bodies, and related industries and users involved with health and thermal springs. This body will be in contact with the civil authorities and conduct research on various problems involved with thermal springs and health development of the general populace through exchange of information and discussion and through this to promote the recognition and enhance dissemination of correct information to the general populace concerning thermal springs. It will promote the use of thermal springs by the general populace and in this manner contribute to the structure of a healthy and active society.

(Operations)
Article 2

In order to achieve the goals set out in the previous article, the Forum will engage in the following activities:
1. information exchange concerning thermal springs and health maintenance
2. investigations and research concerning thermal springs and health development
3. diffusion of education concerning thermal springs and health maintenance
4. promotion of health resort use of thermal springs
5. construction of a new media network concerning thermal springs and health development
6. promoting the dissemination and performing consultation for health resort thermal spring facilities
7. broadcast information on Japanese thermal springs to the world
8. create academic papers and a reference library concerning health and thermal springs
9. any and all other activities necessary to achieve the goals of the Forum

(Structure of the Forum)
Article 3

The Forum will consist of academics, organizations, groups and administrative bodies and other individual or groups that agree with the spirit of the Forum and will consist of the following types of membership. However the classification of membership, fees etc. will be specified elsewhere.
1. Members
2. Distinguished members

(Structure of assets)
Article 4

The assets of the Forum will consist of the following:
1. membership dues
2. contributions
3. income from operations
4. other income

(Administration of assets)
Article 5

The president shall administer the assets of the Forum and the method of administration shall be decided on by the Board of Directors.

(Management of expenses)
Article 6

The expenses of the Forum will be managed based on the assets listed in Article 4.

(Financial year)
Article 7

The financial year of the Forum shall be from the 1st of April to the 31st of March of the following year.

(Officers)
Article 8

The Forum shall have the following officers:
1. emeritus president (1)
2. president (1)
3. vice-presidents (2)
4. permanent directors (a few)
5. directors (a few)
6. auditors (2)

(Committee members with specialized backgrounds)
Article 9

The president will name committee members with specialized backgrounds if the need arises.

(Elections)
Article 10

1. The president, vice-presidents, permanent directors and directors and auditors shall be elected at the general meeting.
2. The president and vice-presidents can be elected either from among the permanent directors or directors or from other persons who have academic credentials.

(Duties of officers)
Article 11

1. The president is the representative of the Forum and must be responsible for the overall running of the organization.
2. The vice-presidents should support the president and have an understanding of the clerical work of the Forum and be able to act in place of the president should something befall him or if he is absent.
3. The permanent directors and directors should carry out the official business of the Forum supporting the president and vice-president.
4. The auditors should review the matters related to the finances.

(Terms of office)
Article 12

The term of office shall be 2 years but multiple terms are possible.

(Consultants and advisors)
Article 13

The Forum can have several consultants and advisors.

(Types of meetings)
Article 14

1. The Forum will hold general meetings, meetings of the permanent directors and meetings of the Board of Directors.
2. The Forum can establish special committees as necessary. The committee chairman will be appointed by the president of the Forum after discussion with the board of permanent directors.

(Convening of meetings)
Article 15

The president shall convene general meetings and meetings of the board of permanent directors and board of directors.

(Decisions made at the general meeting)
Article 16

The general meeting shall decide on the important matters specified elsewhere in this charter and other matters of importance to the running of the Forum.

(Structure of the board of permanent directors)
Article 17

The board of permanent directors shall consist of the president, vice-presidents and permanent directors.

(Matters to be decided at the board of permanent directors meeting)
Article 18

The board of permanent directors shall decide on matters to be submitted to the general meeting as well as other matters specified elsewhere in this charter and also decide on matters related to the execution of the administration of the Forum.

(Structure of the board of directors)
Article 19

The board of directors shall consist of the president, vice-president, permanent directors, directors and auditors.

(Matters to be decided by the board of directors)
Article 20

The board of directors shall decide upon items to be submitted to the general meeting.

(Numbers of meetings and methods of decision-making)
Article 21

1. The general meeting and the meeting of the board of permanent directors and the board of directors must be attended by at least half of the members. However persons who are designated as proxies or written representation of the opinions of members concerning the points on the agenda, are counted as being in attendance.
2. Decisions will be made on the basis of a simple majority of those present.

(Applications for membership)
Article 22

Those who wish to apply to become members should fill out the appropriate forms and send them together with the membership fee to the president. The decision to accept the member is made by the board of permanent directors.

(Cessation of membership)
Article 23

Members can cancel membership by notifying the president. However if any of the following conditions apply, membership is considered cancelled.
1. dissolution of the Forum
2. failure to pay membership dues by the specified time
3. if the board of permanent directors decide that an individual has damaged the reputation of the Forum or has transgressed the conditions of this charter or the decisions of the general meeting, that member's name can be expunged from the membership.

(Membership dues)
Article 24

Members should pay the membership dues within the allotted time. Membership dues are annual dues to be specified elsewhere.

(Refunding membership dues)
Article 25

Membership dues and other funds paid to the Forum will not be returned.

(Secretariat)
Article 26

1. A secretariat office will be established to carry out the clerical functions of the Forum.
2. In the secretariat, there will be a secretary general and some employees
3. The president will decide matters related to the secretary general and employees

(Amendments to the charter)
Article 27

Changes to this charter cannot be made unless approved by the board of permanent directors, board of directors and general meeting and by more than half of the membership.

(Implementation of the charter)
Article 28

In addition to the matters detailed in this charter, items necessary for the functioning of the Forum will be decided by the president after a decision is made by the board of permanent directors.

(Appendix)

1. This charter will be implemented from the 5th of November, 1998
2. 1998 will be considered a special financial year running from the 5th of November, 1998 to the 31st of March, 1999.
3. Amended 10th of May, 2000