History of the Genetics Society of Japan

A meeting of the founders of the Japanese Society of Breeding, the predecessor of the Genetics Society of Japan, was held in February 1915, and a constitution was formulated. The seven founders were Hirotaro Ando, Teizo Ito, Taketaro Suzuki, Kametaro Toyama, Fumio Abe, Shigeroku Nohara, and Yoshimaro Tanaka. The first general meeting of the Society was held in November of the same year at the Sankodo Hall in Akasaka, and the number of members was 135 in 1916. In June 1920, the name of the Society was changed to the Genetics Society of Japan, taking over all administrative and other functions of the Japanese Society of Breeding Science, and the current society was officially established. In June 1920, the name of the society was changed to the Genetics Society of Japan, taking over all the affairs of the Japanese Society of Breeding and all other aspects of the society. Currently (April 1, 2021), there are 683 members.

The first meeting of the Genetics Society of Japan was held in October 1928 at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu Imperial University, and has been held once a year since then (not held in 1945), with the 93rd meeting to be held in Tokyo in 2021.

As for publications, the first volume of the “The Japanese Journal of Genetics” (Vol. 1, No. 1) was published in 1921, and “Genes & Genetic Systems” had been published in book form until Vol. 95 in 2020. With the recent shift to open access journals, the journal was changed to online only from the 96th issue in 2021.

The first president of the society was Seiichiro Ikeno (Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo Imperial University), followed by Yoshimaro Tanaka, Hitoshi Kihara, and Motoo Kimura, with Hiroshi Iwasaki serving as the 35th president since 2021. In addition, in 2017, the Foundation joined the Association for Propagation of the Knowledge of Genetics to operate as a public interest incorporated foundation.

Rules for the operation of the Genetics Society of Japan affiliated with Association for Propagation of the Knowledge of Genetics

In accordance with Article 38 of the Articles of Incorporation of Association for Propagation of the Knowledge of Genetics (hereinafter referred to as the “Foundation”) and the provisions on research groups affiliated with the Foundation, the following rules shall govern the operation of the Genetics Society of Japan (hereinafter referred to as the ” the Society”), which has been approved for affiliation with the Foundation.

The name of the organization shall be The Genetics Society of Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Society”).

The purpose of the Society shall be to promote research on genetics and to disseminate knowledge thereof.

Those wishing to join the Society shall fill out the prescribed form and apply to the Foundation Office.

Members of the Society shall be ordinary members, senior ordinary members, senior permanent members, student members, educational members, institutional members, supporting members, and honorary members. However, if the annual membership fee is overdue for more than one year beyond the current year, the membership shall be suspended.

1. Ordinary members shall pay an annual membership fee of 10,000 yen.
2. Senior Ordinary Members shall be those who have reached the mandatory retirement age and have indicated that they are not working full-time. The annual membership fee of 6,000 yen shall be paid for each subsequent year. They shall not have the right to vote for the President or Council Members.
3. A Senior Permanent Member is an Ordinary Member, who has been a member of the Society for five years or more and is 65 years of age or older, or a Senior Ordinary Member. He/she may change his/her membership status by paying the perpetual membership fee of 30,000 yen for the first time only, and shall be exempted from paying the membership fee and conference participation fee thereafter. They do not have the right to vote for the President or Council Members.
4. Student members are exempted from paying the annual membership fee for the first year by submitting a certificate of enrollment or its substitute, and pay 3,000 yen for the second and subsequent years.
5. Educational members shall be teachers at educational institutions such as elementary, junior high, and high schools, and shall pay an annual membership fee of 2,000 yen in advance. They do not have the right to vote for the President or Council Members.
6. Institutional members shall pay 15,000 yen, and supporting members shall pay at least one unit (20,000 yen).
7. If an Ordinary Member, Senior Ordinary Member, Student Member, or Educational Member requests to take a leave of absence from the Society for a period of leave of absence or study abroad, the annual membership fee for that period shall be waived.

The Society may, by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, confer the title of Honorary Member or the Distinguished Service Award on the following persons

Persons who have made distinguished contributions to the Society. Distinguished foreign geneticists.

The Society shall publish a bimonthly issue of Genes & Genetic Systems. Printed copies shall be distributed to all of the Institutional Members and Affiliate Members, and Regular Members and Student Members who wish to receive it. Ordinary members and student members who do not wish to receive printed copies will have their annual membership fees reduced by 500 yen. Printed copies shall not be sent to Senior Ordinary Members and Senior Permanent Members unless they specifically request it.

The Society shall hold a conference once a year. The Annual Meeting shall be divided into a General Meeting and a Lecture Meeting. The General Meeting shall be used to report on the activities of the Society, revise the rules, elect candidates for the Steering Committee, and conduct other business, while the Lecture Meeting shall be used for research presentations by Ordinary Members, Senior Ordinary Members, Senior Permanent Members, Student Members, Educational Members, and Honorary Members. Some members of the Convention Committee shall take care of the Convention, and the Chairperson of the Convention Committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors of the Foundation. Congresses may be held on an ad hoc basis.

The Society may establish discussion groups in various regions.

There shall be one President, a few Secretaries, two members for Accounting Audit, and some Council Members to manage the Society. All candidates for the Steering Committee and Council Members elected in accordance with the following procedures shall be subject to the approval of the Foundation Board of Directors.

1. The President shall represent the Society and preside over the affairs of the Society.
2. The President shall be elected by direct election by the ordinary members, senior ordinary members, senior permanent members, and student members from among the candidates selected by the Council from among the ordinary members and student members.
3. The Council Members shall be elected by direct election by the Ordinary Members, Senior Ordinary Members, Senior Permanent Members, and Student Members from among the Ordinary Members and Student Members.
4. The Secretary shall be elected by a majority vote of the Council approving candidates recommended by the President.
5. The Accounting Audit shall be elected by a majority of the Trustees approving candidates recommended by the President.
6. The President shall convene and preside at meetings of the Council. The secretary shall attend the meetings of the Council.
7. The Council, on behalf of the members, shall deliberate on the Society’s business plan, income and expenditure, budget and settlement of accounts, publication of the Society’s journal, holding of conferences, and other important matters, and shall vote on the draft by a majority of the Council Members present. The resolved matters shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the Foundation. The meeting of Council shall be constituted with the attendance of two-thirds or more of all Council Members. In case of unavoidable circumstances, the submission of a letter of proxy or online participation may be considered as participation.
8. The President and the Secretaries shall constitute the Executive Committee, which shall be represented by the President.
9. The Executive Committee shall discuss relevant matters of the Society, consult with the Council, and execute the business of the Society.
10. The Accounting Audit shall audit accounts of the Society.

The term of office of the Steering Committee and the Council Members shall be two years. The President and Council Members may not be elected for three consecutive terms.

The fiscal year of the Society shall begin on April 1 of each year and end on March 31 of the following year.

Supplementary Provisions

• Article 5 was amended on October 13, 1995, and shall come into effect on January 1, 1996.
• Article 5 was amended on September 17, 2009, and shall come into effect as from January 1, 2010.
• Articles 5, 7, and 8 were amended on September 8, 2014, and shall come into effect as of January 1, 2017. However, the reduction of membership fee for those who do not wish to receive printed copies of Genes & Genetic Systems shall be effective as of April 1, 2018.
• Article 5 was amended on September 12, 2017, and shall come into effect as of April 1, 2018.
• Article 12 was amended on March 8, 2019, and shall come into effect as from April 1, 2019.
• Articles 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 were amended on September 12, 2019, and shall come into force as from September 13, 2019.
• Article 10 was amended on September 18, 2020, and shall come into effect on September 19, 2020.

Memorandum Regarding Election of President and Council Members (Amended on September 12, 2019)

1. In the election of the President and the Council Members, the President shall appoint several Election Committee Members to be in charge of managing the election.
2. In the election of the President, the Council shall select three candidates by vote, notify all members of the Society of the three candidates, conduct a single secret vote and the one who receives the most votes shall be elected. If there is a tie in any of the votes, the order of preference shall be from youngest to oldest.
3. The nation shall be divided into eight districts, and the Council Members shall be divided into District Council Members, who shall be elected by the members of their respective districts, and National District Council Members, who shall be elected by all members. The number of District Council Members shall be two per district, and the number of National Council Members shall be ten. The election of Council Members shall be by secret vote, with two names listed consecutively for District Council Members and ten names listed consecutively for National District Council Members.
   In the event that the same person is elected as both a District Councilor and a National Councilor at the same time, the National Council Member shall be elected first, and the District Council Member concerned shall be moved up to the next highest place. In the event of a tie vote, the order of preference shall be from youngest to oldest.
4. The Secretary may not serve concurrently as a Council Member.
5. If the President resigns or there is a vacancy on the Council during the term of office, no new election shall be held and the runner-up from the previous election shall be carried forward. The term of a new President or a Council Member shall be the remaining term of the previous person.
6. Those who are Ordinary Members or Student Members on May 31 of the year of the election shall have the right to be elected as President and Council Members. Ordinary Members, Senior Ordinary Members, Senior Permanent Members, and Student Members who are Ordinary Members, Senior Ordinary Members, Senior Permanent Members, and Student Members two weeks prior to the announced date shall have the right to vote for the President and Council Members.
7. Any issues other than the above shall be handled by the Election Committee. However, the Election Committee must report the details of its handling to the President at the time of dissolution.

Regulations Concerning the Awards of Genetics Society of Japan

The society shall establish awards to promote the progress of genetics and to publicize outstanding research achievements.

1. The Genetics Society of Japan Kihara Award
   The Kihara Award of the Genetics Society of Japan shall be presented to a person (in principle, a member) who has made an outstanding achievement in the field of genetics
   (see Note 1).
2. Encouragement Award of the Genetics Society of Japan
   To be awarded to a member who is actively engaged in outstanding research in a specific field of genetics and who is expected to achieve future results.

1. The Genetics Society of Japan Kihara Award
   The award shall consist of a certificate, a medal, and a cash prize of 200,000 yen (see Note 2).
2. Encouragement Award of the Genetics Society of Japan
   The prize consists of a certificate and a cash prize of 50,000 yen.
   The issuer of the award certificate shall be the name of the President of the Genetics Society of Japan (See Note 3).

To ensure that the existence of the prize is beneficial, it is essential to conduct a fair and appropriate selection process. In consideration of this, the rules of the Selection Committee and the selection method shall be established.

1. Selection Committee
   The Selection Committee shall consist of seven members: three Council Members elected by Council, three members who are not Council Members (these six must be Senior Ordinary Members, Senior Permanent Members, or Student Members), and the President. The term of Selection Committee members other than the President shall be two years, and no member may remain on the Selection Committee for more than two consecutive terms (i.e. more than four years). The President shall serve as the chairperson of the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee members shall be subject to the approval of the Foundation’s Board of Directors (see Notes 4 and 6).
2. Selection Method
   The Selection Committee shall carefully examine the candidates recommended by the members of the Society, determine the recipients, and obtain approval by the Council and the Board of Directors of the Foundation. As a general rule, one recipient of the Genetics Society of Japan Kihara Award will be selected each year, but no award will be given if there are no suitable candidates.
   The Genetics Society of Japan will select up to two recipients for the Encouragement Award each year (see Note 5).

1. Voting shall be conducted in two rounds. Three candidates from outside the Council and three candidates from the Council shall be listed consecutively. The top ten candidates of the first round of voting shall be the candidates for the second round of voting. In the event of a tie vote, a younger candidate takes a priority.
2. The President and Secretary shall not be eligible for being elected.

In the event that any member of the Screening Committee is unable to participate in the screening to ensure the fairness of the screening, the Chairperson of the Screening Committee (President) may appoint a new member to fill the vacancy for the screening. The following points shall be taken into consideration in the selection of the Selection Committee members and selection of an award winner.

1. If a member of the Selection Committee is a candidate for the Kihara Award or the Encouragement Award, he or she will not participate in any of the screening.
2. The Selection Committee members will not participate in the review of candidates who belong to the same research group.
3. If a member of the Selection Committee is a nominee for the Society Award or the Encouragement Award, he or she will not participate in the review of the relevant award.

• (Note 1)
  Since this award differs in content from the conventional Genetics Society of Japan Award, it will be named in honor and commemoration of Dr. Hitoshi Kihara, an honorary member of the Genetics Society of Japan who was a world-renowned expert in genetics and a great contributor to our society.
• (Note 2)
  The Genetics Society of Japan Kihara Prize Fund will be established to cover the cost of producing the medal and the supplementary prize of 200,000 yen.
• (Note 3)
  Each prize shall be 50,000 yen and shall be covered by the membership fee.
• (Note 4)
  The following are the ideas that formed the basis for the establishment of these regulations. It is not necessarily appropriate for the members of the Selection Committee to be elected from among the Council Members. The members of the Selection Committee should be selected from the entire membership for the reason of selecting the most qualified person for the event whose purpose is purely to select the award. A two-stage votes should be conducted to prevent scattered votes in the vote for the establishment of the Selection Committee, and adjustments should be made to avoid a majority of the members of the Selection Committee being current Council Members.
• (Note 5)
  In order to ensure fairness in the selection process, it is not desirable to have a winner from the Selection Committee members, and this should be avoided. In the selection process, we should always keep in mind that the awarding of the prize should be highly evaluated by many members. To this end, the Selection Committee members should try to learn from the selection process of other societies and other useful information. In particular, the Genetics Society of Japan Kihara Award will not be necessarily given every year, but only when there is a candidate who is truly deserving. In judging the merit of a candidate’s work, it is recommended that the candidate’s published papers be thoroughly examined, that objective data such as the Science Citation Index be used as much as possible to emphasize the international nature of the candidate’s work, and that the opinions of prominent scholars in the field in Japan and abroad be sought. Also, it should be avoided to make hasty judgments about the value of papers published in the past year or two.
• (Note 6)
  Method of selecting members of the Selection Committee for the Kihara Award and the Encouragement Award of the Genetics Society of Japan
  The Selection Committee Members shall be elected by the Council. The election method shall be determined separately.

Supplementary Provisions

• Approved by the General Meeting of the Genetics Society of Japan on November 20, 1982.
• Partially amended on October 14, 1985 (A part of Note 2).
• Partially amended on February 6, 1988 (Note 6).
• Partially amended on October 14, 1989 and approved by the General Meeting of the Genetics Society of Japan.
• Some statements were added (Note 7) on October 23, 1992.
• Partially amended (Note 2, Election Method; Supplementary Provisions) on April 4, 2005
• Partially amended on September 17, 2009 and approved by the General Meeting of the Genetics Society of Japan
• Partially amended on September 12, 2019 (Selection Committee and Note 6)