IEEE Tokyo Section History

The IEEE Tokyo Section is one of the geographical units of the Institute of the Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE), the world's largest technical professional society. Globally, there are 324 local IEEE Sections and more than 1,700 technical Chapters.

Through the great efforts of Dr. Fumio Minozuma, a local section of the Institute of Radio Engineers was organized in 1956 in Japan as the IRE Tokyo Section. In 1963, IRE and the American American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) merged to form the IEEE. Accordingly, the IRE Tokyo Section became the IEEE Tokyo Section.

Initially, it started with a membership of 72 and has grown annually, to about 10,000 in 1998. Use of "Tokyo" in the name and not "Japan" came from the IEEE's traditional use of a city name in a Section name. However, in 1998, it was decided that the Tokyo Section should be split into eight Sections to further develop IEEE activities and promote member services and membership development in local region in Japan. In November 1998, a petition for the formation of seven new Sections was officially approved by IEEE Headquarters. Under the reorganization, the new Tokyo Section became one of eight Sections in Japan. A breakdown of membership by IEEE grade and Section can be found at http://www.ieee-jp.org/japancouncil/adm/kaiin/kaiin_e.htm

In June 1999, the eight Sections agreed to establish the IEEE Japan Council for the purpose of providing a centralized coordination of all sections in Japan.

The Tokyo Section was the parent Section of 35 Chapters until 1998. Then, the Chapters were placed under the Japan Council as a temporary measure until efforts to form new Chapters under the current Sections bear fruit. You can see a list of Japan Chapters and their activities at http://www.ieee-jp.org/section/tokyo/chapter_e.htm.

In December 2000, the EDS Kansai Chapter and in January 2001, the SSCS Kansai Chapter have been established.

Tokyo Section is managed by the Section Executive Committee, or ExCom. ExCom meetings are generally held five times a year. In addition, the Tokyo Section now has seven Standing Committees to promote Section activities. The Section also holds an Annual General Assembly.The General Assembly features a report on the Section activities of the previous year and the budgeting of operational funds for the next year, the presentation of Fellow certificates, a special lecture by an IEEE award recipient, as well as a party for members.

The Tokyo Section Publications Committee released the first issue of a Section newsletter called the "IEEE Tokyo Bulletin" on May 31, 2000 as a new means of communication for its members. Since then, the Bulletin has regularly been both published and posted on the IEEE Tokyo Section's home page, so that every member belonging to the Section may be well informed of the activities progress and operation criteria of their Section. The IEEE Tokyo Section has been making efforts to link the members electronically, so that the communications cost be reduced to as least as possible. Today, most of the members receives this communication through electronic mails, while one tenth receives by FAX, and the rest via the regular mailing services by using post card. For enhanced communication among the members, we will continue to make the best possible use of this newsletter.

The Tokyo Section's other activities include holding lectures by inviting well-known scientists and engineers from around the world, supporting Fellow nominations, and assisting students with their activities through the IEEE Student Branches.

On 16 April 2010, the Tokyo Section Life Member affinity group was inaugrated. Dr Kohei Habara was the founding chair.

Link to Section Homepage

IEEE Geographic Unit Organizing Document - Tokyo