Outline of the Association(JSMQA)

Since the first half of the 1960s, the marine traffic has become very complicated as well as versatile along with the remarkable economic development of Japan. This has made the safety measures on the sea all the more important.

The ship equipment industry sector was then under pressure to establish the system of quality control, so that the reliabilities of products might be improved. The Ministry of Transport announced the policy to intensify and rationalize the system of approved factory or facility and the system of type approval, thereby consolidating the system of ship inspection.

Under such circumstances, the official and private sectors jointly promoted the establishment of an entity to promote ship machinery quality control. In July 1971 the Minister of Transport approved the establishment of the Japan Ship-Machinery Quality Control Association to meet such requirements.

The purpose of JSMQA is to contribute to securing the seaworthy state of ships and the safety of human lives on the sea by promoting improvement of quality control by the shipbuilding and the concerned industries of approved items and approved ship equipment. JSMQA promotes the following works in order to achieve the above purpose.

(1) Works concerning the improvement of quality control by the approved factories or facilities.

(2) Works concerning the improvement of quality control by the factories or facilities which intend to be certified as approved factories or facilities.

(3) Works concerning the improvement of quality control by the factories or facilities which have acquired the type approval.

(4) Works concerning improvement of quality control by the factories or facilities which intend to acquire the type approval.

(5) Works concerning upgrading of technologies of the factories or facilities for maintaining life-rafts and the GMDSS lifesaving appliances.

(6) Research and studies on the quality control of approved items and type approved items, in-house inspection standards.

(7) Studies, tests and researches on the quality improvement of the approved items and approved ship equipment.

(8) Publication of concerned books and other materials.

(9) Other activities deemed necessary to accomplish the purpose of JSMQA.

1967

April
Quality Control Department was established in the Japanese marine Equipment Association (JSMEA).

1969

May
Quality Control Guidance Division was established in the Japanese Marine Equipment Association (JSMEA) through reform of the Quality Control Department.

1971

April
The Quality Control Guidance Division started the quality control guidance works.
June 1
The general meeting for establishment of the Japan Ship-machinery Quality Control Association of held.
Mr. Sada Nakao was appointed president.
June
The headquarters was located at Nihonbashi-Honcho 4-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
JSMQA started operations for training and seminar courses for inflatable life raft.
July 1
The Minister of Transport officially approved establishment of the Japan Ship-machinery Quality Control Association
July
JSMQA s Osaka Branch was established within the Osaka Branch of the Japan Marine Surveyors and Sworn Measurers Association at Kawaguchi 18, Nishi-ku, Osaka.

1972

April
JSMQA started technical training operations for maintenance technology of magnetic compass.

1973

April
The Research Institute of Marine Engineering and the Small Ship Safety Department were transferred to JSMQA from the Shipbuilding Research Centre of Japan.
The Articles of Corporation was partly amended to add testing works to JSMQA operations and to increase the quorum of the executive director from one to three, that of directors selected from other than the member companies from five to seven of directors and auditors.

1974

January
The headquarters moved to Roppongi 3-1-30, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
February
The Articles of Corporation were partly revised to state the location of the headquarters at the above address.
With the inauguration of the Japan Craft Inspection Organization, the Small Ship Safety Department of JSMQA was abolished.
April
The Osaka Branch moved to Enokojima 1-7-3, Nishi-ku, Osaka
May
Mr. Jitsuo Shimizu was appointed president.
June
JSMQA started operation of maintenance technology training course of the emergency position indicating radio beacons.
September
JSMQA started guidance operation for maintenance factories or facilities for inflatable life rafts.

1975

March
JSMQA started operation for technical training course of the maintenance of the emergency chute.
May
Mr. Kichijiro Kinoshita was appointed president.
JSMQA started operation for training course for operation supervisors of the approved factories or facilities for manufacturing.

1977

May
JSMQA started operation of guidance to the factories or facilities for emergency position indicating radio beacons.

1978

May
Mr. Yuunosuke Murai was appointed president.
July
The Osaka Branch Office moved to Awaza 1-7-12, Nishi-ku, Osaka
September
JSMQA started guidance operation to the factories or facilities of the emergency chute.

1979

May
JSMQA started the quality control training course operation to the ship equipment repairing operation supervisors.

1981

May
JSMQA celebrated its 10th aniversary. JSMQA started the awarding operation to employees of excellent performance of the member companies.

1982

May
Mr. Shinobu Akasaka was appointed president.
June
JSMQA started the operation of centrally managing information on the maintenance of inflatable raft maintenance.
JSMQA partly amended its Articles of Corporation to increase the quorum of directors from 30 to 40.

1983

April
JSMQA moved its headquaters to Kanda-sakumachou 1-9, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
The Article of Corporation was partly revised to state the location of the headquarters at the above address.
June
A Branch Office was established in the Ship Equipment Inspection Society of Japan (HK) at Kioi-cho 3-32, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
November
JSMQA started the agency business for application to approval at the Kioi-cho Branch.

1984

September
JSMQA started the agency business for application to approval at the Osaka Branch.

1985

JSMQA co-sponsored the centenary of ship inspection in Japan.

1988

May
Mr. Toshio Itazawa was appointed president.

1991

January
JSMQA started the training course operation for maintenance technologies of GMDSS lifesaving appliances.
May
JSMQA started the guidance operation to the approved factories or facilities for remodeling and repair.
JSMQA cerebrated its 20th anniversary.

1992

April
JSMQA started the guidance operation for the certified factories or facilities for GMDSS.
May
Mr. Takuzo Yamada was appointed to the President.
October
The Kioi-cho Branch Office was closed.
November
The headquarters started the agency business for application to approval.

1993

February
JSMQA started studying matters concerning the Product Liability Law. JSMQA started the operation of supporting insurance coverage.

1996

May
Mr. Seiji Takagi was appointed president.

1997

April
JSMQA started the operation of central management of information on maintenance of rafts and GMDSS lifesaving appliances.
July
JSMQA started the operation of guidance for the approved factories or facilities for maintenance of marine internal combustion engines.

1998

May
Mr. Zenshichi Akasawa was appointed president.

1999

November
JSMQA started guidance for acquisition of ISO9000 Series certification

2000

October
JSMQA held seminar for business enterprises on fire-protection products, soliciting these busi-ness enterprises to become members of JSMQA

2002

March
JSMQA posted of JSMQA s Home Page on the Internet
May Mr. Hiroshi Itazawa was appointed President

2005

April
JSMQA renamed the Japanese name of The Research Institute of Marine Engineering (expansion of activities)

2006

January
JSMQA started the lifeboat and launching appliance service technique training activity
May Mr. Shinzo Yamada was appointed President
July JSMQA started Maintenance technology of Immersion-suit Training Course.

2009

April
JSMQA started the Project on Technology Development of Ship Equipment
November JSMQA started Maintenance technology of Inflatable Life Jackets Training Course.

2012

March
JSMQA started Maintenance technology of Fire-Fighting Equipments on Board Training Course.
May Mr. Minoru Makita was appointed President.

2013

April
JSMQA shifted to the General Association by Corporation Reform.

2016

June
Mr. Kazuhiko Kinoshita was appointed President.

2020

June
Mr. Masanori Katayama was appointed President.

2022

January
June
JSMQA cerebrated its 50th anniversary.

2023

December
JSMQA moved its headquaters to NihonbashiBakurocho 2-2-6, Chuou-ku, Tokyo.
The Article of Corporation was partly revised to state the location of the headquarters at the above address.

JSMQA s member companies are very diverse in scale, kind of products and process for manufacturing. They also range widely in the ways laws and regulations are applied to their factories or facilities. Accordingly, JSMQA has under the General Meeting and the Board of Directors committees each consisting of member companies similar in trade and kind of products. Each committee studies and deliberates JSMQA s management regarding business plans and income and expenditure plans, research and study activities, training and seminar operations, matters concerning guidance operations, requests to concerned parties and other matters, within the committee s respective fields.

The member companies of JSMQA are classified into three groups; namely, (1) ship equipment manufacturing factories or facilities, ship equipment remodeling or repair factories or facilities, and ship equipment maintenance factories or facilities (limited only to internal combustion engines), (2) factories or facilities for manufacturing such legally designated ship equipment as navigation appliances, life-saving appliances and fire-fighting appliances, and (3) factories or facilities for repairing legally designated ship equipment.

The activities of JSMQA may be broken down into those common to all member companies and those particular to each group of the member companies. Irrespective of which class a particular work falls into, JSMQA will contribute to smooth implementation of the nation s inspection system, improvement of the product quality and quality control of the manufactured products for ship use, thereby promoting activities conductive to the development of member companies.

Regarding the factory or facility for manufacturing, that for remodeling or repair and that for maintenance for ship equipment (limited only to internal combustion engines), the Minister of Transport designates them as approved factory or facility, if they are found to satisfy a set of conditions. The conditions are that they own facilities and equipment specified by the concerned ordinances, and that they have sufficient organization and personnel for quality control and in-house inspections, and that they are regarded as excellent ones. Ship equipment manufactured, remodeled, repaired or maintained by the approved factories or facilities may be exempted from government inspections, but left to their in-house inspections.

These approved factories or facilities assume a great responsibility for conducting portions of safety inspections on behalf of the government. These factories or facilities are therefore required to maintain their quality control systems up to the legal requirements in satisfactory conditions and to adequately cope with changes in the economic environment and technological advancement.

JSMQA conducts the following activities for these factories or facilities.

[1] Inspection Guidance Operation

JSMQA's guidance technicians fully experienced in ship inspection conduct the guidance operations while visit-ing the concerned factories or facilities in close collaboration with the Maritime Technology and Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Transport and the District Transport Bureaus.

(1) New Guidance
JSMQA gives factories or facilities wishing to be newly approved necessary guidance over the whole range of the legal requirements as to whether they satisfy the requirements and what they should do to satisfy the requirements from application to acquisition of approvals.

(2) Continual Inspection Guidance
JSMQA periodically surveys approved factories or facilities to check their legal requirements and status of quality control to get hold of their conditions. JSMQA extends guidance to the member companies as found necessary.

	(Seminar for ship equipment manufacturing operation supervisors)		(Training for ship equipment repair work operation supervisors)

[2] Training Operation

(1) Training Operations for Factory or Facility for Manufacturing

JSMQA holds training courses on laws and ordinances, methods of production control and quality control to develop and to give guidance to equipment manufacturing operation supervisors for ship equipment manufacturing factories or facilities. JSMQA gives the successful participants in these training courses who have completed the training courses and passed the specified examinations a certificate for "ship equipment manufacturing operation supervisor." (The cumulative number of these people is 903.) Besides, JSMQA holds specified backup training courses to manufacturing operation supervisors for maintenance and upgrading of their skills. The training courses also provide such practical training as guidance field problems, briefings of amendments of concerned laws and ordinances.

(2) Training Operations for Factory or Facility for Repair and Maintenance

JSMQA holds training courses on laws and ordinances, methods of production control and quality control to develop and to give instruction to repair work operation supervisors for ship equipment repair and maintenance factories or facilities.

JSMQA gives the successful participants in these training courses who have completed the training courses and passed the specified examinations a certificate for "ship equipment repair work operation supervisor." (The total number of these qualified people is 805.)

Besides, JSMQA holds specified backup training courses to repair work operation supervisors already engaged in repair works for maintenance and upgrading their skills as with the case for the manufacturing operation supervisors.

[3] Quality Control Research and Study Operation

In order to contribute to improvement of quality control and inspection technology for ship equipment manufac-turing and to rationalization of inspections, JSMQA conducts studies and research on various problems about the quality control.

Many pieces of legally designated ship equipment are manufactured by approved factories or facilities which have acquired type approval for their products from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The legally designated ship equipment requires specified inspections when the equipment is first installed on board a ship. However, if the legally specified ship equipment has received type approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and has been manufactured according to the conditions of the type approval, the inspection may be simplified.

This system is beneficial to the users of the ship equipment in that the quality of the ship equipment is guaranteed. This system is also beneficial to the manufacturer in that the manufacturer can enjoy social recognition because of the manufacturer being factory and facility for manufacturing products approved by the government. In response to such social recognition, these factories or facilities are supposed to improve quality and performance of the ship equipment commensurate with the advancement of technologies.

JSMQA conducts the following activities for these factories or facilities.

[1] Research and Study on Approved Ship Equipment

(1) Research and Study on Quality Improvement of Ship Equipment

The legally designated ship equipment is required to conform to a specified standard. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the quality of ship equipment, while giving due consideration to the aged deterioration and durability.

JSMQA also conducts various research and study activities to establish methods of evaluation, etc. of ship equipment, newly developed to meet international trends on safety and social needs, so that outcomes of such re-search and study activities may be reflected in revisions of concerned standards.

(2) Research and Study for Internationalization

If the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention) and The International Con-vention for the Prevention of Pollution form Ships are amended by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) , JSMQA endeavors to collect information on such matters, to have them well understood by the concerned parties through PR activities. JSMQA puts problems associated with the ship equipment in order, and makes research and study on ways for improvement and quality control of ship equipment.

JSMQA also conducts research and study activities on imported ship equipment to develop a basic material for the guideline for quality control of Japan's legally designated ship equipment.

(3) Research and Study on Type Approva

JSMQA conducts research and study on the outline of the system for, and the standards on, type approval of the legally designated ship equipment. And, JSMQA makes recommendations as necessary to the concerned parties based on the materials thus prepared, and distributes such materials to the member companies to have them well understand the contents of such materials. JSMQA prepares a material entitled, "THE LIST OF THE AP-PROVED PRODUCTS BY THE MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT, JAPAN," summarizing major specifications, manufacturers, etc. of such pieces of ship equipment that have been given type approval by the Minster of the above-mentioned ministry, in accordance with The Ship Safety Law and The Law Relating to the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disaster. JSMQA distributes this material to the member companies.

JSMQA prepares copies of English version of this material and distributes them to the governments and con-cerned private sector bodies to assist the member companies in their overseas activities.

[2] Quality Control Research and Study Operation

JSMQA conducts research and study operations on various problems associated with handling of ship equipment at approved factories or facilities. JSMQA conducts research and study operations on quality control or in-house inspections of mass-produced type-approved ship equipment

	(List of the type-approved products)

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport certifies those factories or facilities for repairing legally des-ignated ship equipment which own legally specified facilities and equipment and have sufficient personnel for exe-cuting periodic inspections on the legally designated ship equipment as approved factories or facilities. Actually, the authority to certify such factories or facilities is delegated to the General Managers of District Transport Bu-reaus.

The items maintained by such approved factories or facilities are exempted from government inspections and left to the in-house inspections of these factories or facilities.

This system is based on the technical ability to secure the quality and performance of ship equipment and man-agement ability to control documents and articles regarding maintenance. The approved factory or facility for re-pairing bears a great responsibility of conducting statutory inspections on behalf of the government and therefore are required to endeavor to keep their maintenance technologies and management systems always high enough to satisfy the legal requirements.

JSMQA executes the activities for these factories or facilities.

[1] Inspection Guidance Activities

The guidance technicians of JSMQA visits concerned factories or facilities and conducts necessary guidance ac-tivities in close collaboration with the Maritime Technology and Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastruc-ture and Transport and the competent District Transport Bureau having jurisdiction over the concerned factories or facilities.

(1) New Guidance

JSMQA gives factories or facilities wishing to be newly approved necessary guidance over the whole range of the legal requirements as to whether they satisfy the requirements and what they should do to satisfy the require-ments from application to acquisition of approvals.

(2) Traveling Audit and Guidance

JSMQA periodically audits and give guidance to the factories or facilities for repairing regarding the maintenance of legal requirements and give their service engineers necessary guidance

[2] Training Operation and Workshop

(1) Training Course and Workshop for Maintenance technology of Inflatable Liferaft

JSMQA holds training courses for development of service engineers of the inflatable liferaft on legal require-ments, service techniques, operation control, other items necessary for conducting inspections of a level equal to the safety inspection by the government.

JSMQA gives successful participants in these training courses who have completed the training course and passed the specified examination a qualification of "certified service engineer for inflatable liferaft" (390 of them now).

JSMQA also holds workshops for certified service engineers for inflatable liferaft on actual service for refresh-ing and upgrading their techniques. The workshops provide refreshing education on legal and technical matters.

(2) Training Course and Workshop for Maintenance Technology of Emergency Chutes. JSMQA holds training courses and workshops for development of service engineers for the emergency chute, similar to those explained in (1) above. JSMQA gives successful participants in these training courses who have completed the training course and passed the specified examination a qualification of "certified service engineer for emergency chute" (131 of them now). JSMQA also holds workshops for certified service engineers for emergency chute on actual service.
		(Course on the maintenance technology of inflatable liferafts)
(3) Training Course and Workshop for Maintenance Technology for GMDSS Lifesaving Appliances For the purpose of development of service engineers for GMDSS lifesaving appliances, JSMQA holds training courses similar to that mentioned in above (1) for those participants in separately held training courses on basic radio engineering who have passed the examination JSMQA gives successful participants in these training courses who have completed the training course and passed the specified examination a qualification of "certified service engineer for GMDSS lifesaving appliance" (281 of them now). JSMQA also holds workshops for certified service engineers for GMDSS lifesaving appliance on actual service.
		(Course on the maintenance technology of GMDSS lifesaving appliances)
(4) Training Course and Workshop for Maintenance Technology of Lifeboat and Launching Appliances JSMQA conducts training courses on legal matters, structure of lifeboats and launching appliance, inspection and service manual and skills thereof, necessary for development of and instruction to service engineers at domes-tic and overseas who conduct inspection and service on lifeboat systems (lifeboat and launching appliance). JSMQA gives successful participants in these training courses who have completed the training course and passed the specified examination a qualification of "certified service engineer for lifeboat" (383 of them now). JSMQA has decided to hold workshops for maintenance and upgrading of techniques of these certified service engineers for lifebo
		(Course on the maintenance technology of lifeboat and launching appliance)

(5) Training Course and Workshop for Maintenance technology of Immersion Suit

JSMQA holds training courses similar to (4) above for development of and instruction to service engineers who conduct inspection and service on immersion suit.
JSMQA gives successful participants in these training courses who have been certified for the qualification a quali-fication of "certified service engineer for immersion suit" (104 of them now). JSMQA has decided to hold work-shops for these certified service engineers.

(6) Training Course and Workshop for Maintenance Technology of Inflatable Life Jackets

JSMQA holds training courses similar to (4) above for development of and instruction to service engineers who conduct inspection and service on inflatable life jackets.

JSMQA gives successful participants in these training courses who have been certified for the qualification a qualification of "certified service engineer for inflatable life jackets" (72 of them now). JSMQA has decided to hold work-shops for these certified service engineers

(7) Training Course and Workshop for Maintenance Technology of Fire-Fighting Equipments on Ships

JSMQA holds training courses similar to (4) above for development of and instruction to service engineers who conduct inspection and service on Fire-Fighting Equipments on Ships.

JSMQA gives successful participants in these training courses who have been certified for the qualification a qualification of "certified service engineer for inflatable life jackets" (74 of them now). JSMQA has decided to hold work-shops for these certified service engineers.

[3] Central Control of Maintenance

JSMQA has established a control system of inflatable rafts and GMDSS lifesaving appliances which centrally man-ages more than 30 thousand pieces of information on them a year, using a computer of JSMQA. This system fa-cilitates maintenance works and statistical data produced from this system are used for product improvement.

[4] Research and Study on Maintenance Technology

In response to the requests from factories or facilities, JSMQA selects suitable subjects for improvement of maintenance technologies and conducts various researches and studies to help improve the quality and performance of ship equipment.

[1] Research and Study on Laws and Ordinances about Ship Inspection

(1) Provision of Information by the Internet Homepage and Periodical

The system of ship inspection is becoming more internationalized and versatile every year. To keep up with such changes, JSMQA conducts research and study activities on laws, ship inspection systems, and cases of their actual applications at home and abroad.
As part of such activities, JSMQA informs the member companies, on its Internet homepage and periodical (Hinkan Ziho) and other media, of the information, materials, and others of various kinds which JSMQA has ob-tained from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, inspection-related organizations, shipbuild-ing-related organizations, concerned organizations of foreign countries, etc.

(2) Holding of Briefing Presentation, etc. for Amendments of Relevant Laws

When an amendment, etc. are made to a relevant law, JSMQA holds as necessary briefing presentations or semi-nars to the member companies and other concerned parties.

(3) Public Disclosure and Recommendations of the Results of Research and Study

JSMQA discloses the outcomes of its research and study activities on performance, etc. of ship equipment, etc., and presents recommendations to the concerned parties to help them formulate and review their standards.

[2] Various Consulting and Certification Activities

(1) Consultation and Certification for Financing
THE NIPPON FOUNDATION has a system for advancing low-interest and long-term finances from the proceeds of motorboat races to the capitals necessary for modernization and rationalization of facilities and operating capitals necessary of consolidating management in accordance with the policies of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. JSMQA provides the member companies with consulting services and guidance for procedures for application to such finances and issues necessary certificates of membership.

JSMQA also issues necessary certificates to the employees of the member companies who have participated in the training courses or seminars which are eligible to the official subsidy under the "Grants for Lifetime Development of Vocational Abilities System."

(2) Other Consulting Service
JSMQA offers consultation services on such matters as acquisition of approval of factories or facilities, acquisi-tion of type approval according to The Ship Safety Law, The Law Relating to the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disaster and gives guidance as necessary.
Also, JSMQA gives guidance and other services on matters related to acquisition of the ISO9001 and ISO14001 certifications.

[3] Award Activity

JSMQA decorates member companies employees of remarkable achievements concerning JSMQA's activities worth announcing as good examples.
JSMQA also recommends directors and employees of the member companies deserving official conferment and official awarding of medals to the Minister of Transport, District Transport Bureaus and other organizations.

[4] Corrective PL Insurance Activity

JSMQA has established on enforcement of the Product Liability Law JSMQA s own system of group PL insur-ance system in collaboration with an insurance company. JSMQA informs the member companies of this insurance system and assists them to take out this insurance policy.
The Research Institute of Marine Engineering is an organization established for promoting technological devel-opment in line with the policy objective of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the needs of the member companies. The Research Institute of Marine Engineering conducts the following activities.

The Research Institute of Marine Engineering is an organization established for promoting technological development in line with the policy objective of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the needs of the member companies. The Research Institute of Marine Engineering conducts the following activities.

[1] Consigned Test

The Research Institute of Marine Engineering conducts tests on ship equipment and fittings in response to the requests by JSMQA s member companies and issues certificates of test. The tests are done according to the test specifications of the Ship Safety Law, various ship classification societies as requested. The certificates of test issued by the Research Institute of Marine Engineering has authority as a third-party certificate.

[2] Lending of Facilities, Technical Guidance

The Research Institute of Marine Engineering lends its various testing facilities and instruments upon request. In such a case the institute gives instructions on how to use them and provides information on them.

[3] Research and Development

Making effective use of the technologies accumulated through tests on ship equipment and fittings, advanced testing facilities and instruments, the Research Institute of Marine Engineering makes contributions to development of ship equipment and fittings and their standards, which could better meet the needs of the times.

[4] Activities other than in the Shipping Field

The Research Institute of Marine Engineering does its utmost in testing, developing and improving products other than those directly related with shipping.