History of JARL

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Shortly after the beginning of this century, the United States of America saw the advent of hams: those who use radio technology not for money, but for research, for self training and as a hobby. In Japan, unlicensed hams started their experiments and research around 1925. JARL was inaugurated in 1926. Then, in 1927, about 10 private experimental radio-telegraphy/radio-telephony stations were licensed by the Government. In those early days, the experimental radio stations were subject to strict regulation of their frequencies, power output, and operating procedures, Nevertheless, they increased to about 300 stations before the outbreak of World War II. By that time, their skill had reached international standards. With the outbreak of World War II, private radio communications were totally banned and all private radio stations were ordered to halt operation and needless to say, JARL's activities were likewise suspended. After the war, the ban was lifted for the reception of short waves but not for radio transmissions. This state of amateur radio persisted for about a decade. The San Francisco Peace Treaty was the turning point. At long last, 30 radio stations were granted provisional licenses in July, 1952, and this spurred a rapid increase in the number of amateur radio enthusiasts and the number of stations surpassed 2,000 within a mere two years. Thereafter, the number of amateur radio stations increased steadily year after year (reaching about 1.4 million by 1994), with a corresponding increase in the number of JARL members. The following presents a chronology of amateur radio communication in Japan.

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1926 - The Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) was inaugurated by 37 radio amateurs.

1927 - Kankichi Kusama (JXAX) received the first license for a private experimental station.

1929 - Call signs J1 through J9 were allocated by territory.

1929 - The JARL NEWS was issued as the first JARL bulletin.

1931 - JARL hosted the first national convention of hams in Nagoya.

1933 - A "Group of Patriotic Hams" was organized in Tokyo.

1934 - IARU admitted JARL as an affiliated member.

1941 - Concurrent with the outbreak of World War II, the Government prohibited the operation of private experimental stations.

1945 - World War II ended. In September 1945, the National Government lifted its ban on the reception
of short waves, by Cabinet resolution.

1946 - JARL opened a national reorganization convention in Tokyo.

1950 - The Government enacted the Radio Law.

1951 - Amateur band allocation went into effect. The first national exam to license radio amateurs was implemented (47 passed Grade I, and 59 passed Grade II).

1952 - 30 applicants were granted provisional licenses, with a rapid increase soon afterward.

1955 - JARL's bid for reunion with IARU was accepted.

1959 - The first national exams for radio amateurs (radiotelegraphy and radio-telephony classes) were implemented.

1959 - JARL was officially recognized as a corporate juridical person, and opened a general assembly in Tokyo.

1959 - JARL inaugurated a qualification guarantee system for radio equipment to be used by amateur stations.

1961 - Oscar-1 , the world's first satellite for amateur radio communications, was successfully launched by the United States.

1962 - The 10th anniversary of the resumption of amateur radio communications was celebrated in Tokyo.

1965 - The radio amateur training program was instituted.

1968 - The 1st IARU Region III (Asia and Oceania) conference was held in Sydney. JARL sent its delegation representing Japan.

1969 - JARL sent a team to start activate JD1, in honor of the reversion of Chichijima Island (one of the Ogasawara Islands).

1971 - The 2nd IARU Region III conference was held in Tokyo.

1972 - JARL opened the JA8 IOC Station for the Sapporo Winter Olympic Games.

1972 - KR8 was changed to JR6 upon reversion of Okinawa to Japanese sovereignty 1975 - JARL helped obtain the 3.8 MHz frequency allocation.

1976 - A Japanese delegation attended the IARU world conference.

1976 - In commemoration of its 50th anniversary, JARL sent a team to activate Okinotorishima Island (7J1RL station).

1976 - JARL held a ceremony to commemorate its 50th anniversary. JARL provided support to the 2nd All-Japan Ham-vention.

1977 - JARL hosted its 1st Amateur Radio Festival at Harumi in Tokyo. The then Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications issued a special postage stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of amateur radio communications in Japan.

1979 - JARL sent a delegation to join the IARU team at WARC-79 in Geneva.

1980 - JARL invited three officers from China's amateur radio association to its 4th Amateur Radio Festival.

1981 - JARL opened an Amateur Radio exhibit at Portpia '81.

1981 - JARL helped finance the inauguration of the National Radio Examination Center. JARL was honored by a visit from H.E. Prince Hitachi to Ham Fair '81.

1982 - JARL began to license amateur repeaters (relay stations).

1982 - A new WARC band (10 MHz) was released to the public.

1982 - The IARU Region III secretariat was moved to Japan.

1982 - Radio amateurs (radio-telegraphy and radio-telephony classes) were granted permission for image communication, paving the way for the licensing of hearing impaired people.

1983 - The decision was made to launch the JAS-1 satellite for amateur radio communications.

1983 - To celebrate World. Communications Year (WCY), JARL held a World Amateur Radio International Conference (WARIC) in Tokyo.

1984 - JARL's guarantee certification system was expanded to cover all equipment up to 100 watts.

1985 - A special station was opened on the premises of the Tsukuba Expo '85, and alien visitors were allowed to operate the station.

1985 - A reciprocal operating agreement between Japan and the United States was concluded.

1986 - Reciprocal agreements with West Germany and Canada were also concluded.

1986 - Japan's first amateur radio satellite, JAS-1 (Fuji) was successfully launched.

1989 - Two new WARC bands (18 and 24MHz) were released.

1990 - Japan's second amateur radio satellite JAS-1b (Fuji-2) was launched and put into its orbit.

1990 - Amateur radio qualification system was changed.(See the table on page 7)

1991 - The businesses of certifying amateur radio equipment quality and of conducting amateur radio educational courses were transferred from JARL to The Japan Amateur Radio Development Association (JARD) which was newly established for those purposes separately.

1992 - Government-established band plan was announced.

1994 - The segment of 3,747-3,754kHz (80m) was newly allocated to the amateur radio in addition to the segment 3,791-3,805kHz.

1996 - Japan's third amateur radio satellite JAS-2 (Fuji-3) was launched and put into orbit.

1996 - JARL held The Amateur Radio Festival in Tokyo Big Site.

1996 - In commemoration of its 70th anniversary, JARL held a ceremony.