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1. About JAFA

 

BriefHistory
 
  JAFA is a non-profit corporation which represents the interests of air freight forwarding industry in Japan. It was founded on 1 Apr. 1991 through a merger of, there-to-fore, three independent associations: namely, the International Air Freight Forwarders Association, the Domestic Aircargo Consolidators Association and the International Air Express Association. On 1 June, 1991, it was legally authorized by Minister for Transport and Minister for Finance as a corporate judicial person.
 
  Japanese air cargo transport has undergone a remarkable growth irrespective of occasional disruptions due to variety of factors like the war, oil crisis, economic depression, etc. The volume of her international air cargo transport has increased thirty fold for the past quarter century, while more than forty fold for domestic air cargo in the same period. The 2002 total volume of air cargo transport, 3.7 million tons, was the second highest since the reinauguration of civil aviation in 1951. This trend of steady development of air freight transport would continue for the foreseeable future because of the integration of world market, the improvement of physical distribution stimulated by new information technology, the introduction of more efficient aircraft, etc.
 


Members
 
  As the unique organization to represent the interests of air freight forwarding industry in Japan, its members are composed of air cargo forwarders, consolidators, express carriers and/or air cargo agents, either they are domestic or foreign companies.
 
  Full members 128, Associate members 23, Supporting members 15
(as of 1 May. 2023)
 


 
 (1)Full members: Air Freight Forwarder/Consolidator
Air express/courier company 
IATA cargo sales agent
 (2)Associate members: Those companies whose business is closely related to full members.
 (3)Supporting members: Those who support JAFA activities


 
  JAFA seeks for the sound development of air freight forwarding business and air cargo sales agents by protecting their interests, conducting research and study as well as by providing consultation concerning their activities, so that shippers and consumers can enjoy the benefit of smooth provision of air transport services.


 
 
 (1)Research/study concerning sound development of air freight forwarding business
 (2)Implementation of security measures related to air freight forwarding activities
 (3)Training, education, seminars and conferences concerning air freight forwarding
 (4)Research and study concerning customs relating to air freight
 (5)Public relations activities concerning air freight forwarding business
 (6)Submission of requests, opinions, comments etc. to the relevant authorities


 
 
(1)Federation Internationale des Associations de Transitraires et Assimiles (FIATA)
  FIATA is an international organization by national forwarders associations and individual forwarding companies
(2)Federation of Asia Pacific Aircargo Association (FAPAA)
  FAPAA is an associated organization of national organizations of air freight forwarders in the Asia Pacific region.


 
JAFA conducts various examinations, training courses and seminars not only for its member companies but also for those who have interest in forwarding industry. The following are examples of these courses. for more detail, you are advised to contact JAFA Secretariat.
 
 
(1) IATA Diploma
Officially named as the IATA International Cargo Agent Training Program. It was launched in 1977. It is an international certificate which is conducted in more than 80 countries world-wide. In order to obtain IATA Diploma, it is required to pass qualification examinations. JAFA manages and supervises Diploma exams in Japan. JAFA is also an official IATA training center for Diploma.

IATA Diploma course is composed of the following 3 courses;
 
 ① Cargo Introductory course
  Dangerous goods regulations initial
 ③ Dangerous goods regulations recurrent

Qualification exams for #1 Cargo Introductory Course and those for #2 Dangerous Goods Initial and #3 Dangerous Goods Recurrent are carried out four times a year (Usually in March, June, September and December.).

Being an official training center of IATA, JAFA conducts preparatory training courses on behalf of applicants for those Diploma examinations.

・ Domestic Dangerous Goods Transport Training Course
For those who work for domestic air freight forwarding services, JAFA provides dangerous goods transport training courses. It is composed of two courses: namely the introductory course and the supervisory course. The introductory course is held once a year in big 8 cities, while supervisory course once in Tokyo.

・ IATA Dangerous Goods Regulation Seminar
In cooperation with Board of International Airfreight Carriers(BIAC), JAFA provides shippers with seminars on IATA Dangerous Goods regulations.