This is a reference translation prepared for the convenience of readers. The Japanese text is the authoritative text of these Articles. In the event of any discrepancy in interpretation, the Japanese text shall prevail (Article 39-2). These Articles were enacted on 9 August 2026 and may be amended by resolution of the Steering Committee in accordance with Article 36.
CHAPTER 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1 (Name)
1. The Society shall be called Nihon Seikeigeka Sonosurgery Kenkyukai.
2. The English name of the Society shall be the Japanese Orthopaedic Society for Sonosurgery, abbreviated as JOSS.
3. The Society is an independent society and is not a subordinate body of any other academic society or organisation.
Article 2 (Secretariat)
1. The secretariat of the Society shall be located at Marugame Orthopaedics & Sports Todani Clinic, 3-612-1 Dokicho-higashi, Marugame, Kagawa 763-0082, Japan.
2. The location of the secretariat may be changed by resolution of the Steering Committee.
Article 3 (Definition)
1. In these Articles, “sonosurgery” means minimally invasive surgery performed with guidance by ultrasound imaging as a constitutive requirement.
2. “As a constitutive requirement” in the preceding paragraph means that guidance by ultrasound imaging is indispensable to the performance of the surgery concerned; the type of instrument or device used is immaterial.
3. Sonosurgery is the name of a mode of surgery, and not the name of an instrument or device.
Article 4 (Purpose)
The purpose of the Society is to accumulate academic evidence through the standardisation, verification and teaching of sonosurgical procedures, and thereby to contribute to the formation of a virtuous cycle in which verified techniques receive fair valuation, reinvestment in and the advancement of medical technology are thereby promoted, and the benefit is ultimately returned to patients.
Article 5 (Activities)
In order to achieve the purpose set out in the preceding Article, the Society shall carry out the following activities:
(1) standardisation of the terminology, indications and classification of sonosurgical procedures;
(2) establishment and operation of a multi-institutional case registry;
(3) the holding of seminars, hands-on seminars and academic meetings;
(4) the exchange of information, education and technical training among members;
(5) industry–academia collaboration and the making of recommendations concerning the development of instruments and equipment suited to sonosurgery;
(6) any other activity necessary to achieve the purpose of the Society.
CHAPTER 2 MEMBERS
Article 6 (Categories of member)
The members of the Society shall fall into the following four categories:
(1) Regular Members;
(2) Associate Members;
(3) Advisors;
(4) Supporting Members.
Article 7 (Qualifications)
The qualifications for membership of the Society are as follows:
(1) Regular Member: a person who holds a licence to practise medicine in Japan and who is in a position to determine, at his or her own discretion, the medical services provided, and who agrees with the purpose of the Society;
(2) Associate Member: a person who holds a licence to practise medicine in Japan and who agrees with the purpose of the Society;
(3) Advisor: a person of learning and experience in sonosurgery or a related field, appointed by the Steering Committee;
(4) Supporting Member: a corporation or organisation that agrees with the purpose of the Society and supports its activities.
Article 8 (Interpretation of membership qualifications)
1. “In a position to determine, at his or her own discretion, the medical services provided” in item (1) of the preceding Article means being in a position to take part in decisions as to the medical services provided at the institution to which the person belongs, irrespective of the manner in which such services are billed.
2. The Society shall not engage in any exchange of information, consultation or arrangement whatsoever concerning the prices or fees of the medical services of its members.
3. The Society shall not require its members to adopt any particular manner of practice, or to use any particular instrument or device.
Article 9 (Admission)
1. A person wishing to join the Society shall complete the prescribed application form and submit it to the secretariat.
2. Admission takes effect upon approval by the Steering Committee.
3. For three years from the date of establishment of the Society, admission as a Regular Member shall require the recommendation of one Regular Member; provided that the Steering Committee may dispense with such recommendation where it considers it appropriate to do so.
4. The admission of Supporting Members shall be governed by Article 29, paragraph 5.
Article 10 (Membership fees)
1. The Society may collect membership fees from its members.
2. Whether membership fees are to be collected, and their amount and method of payment, shall be determined by resolution of the Steering Committee.
3. Separate participation fees may be set for seminars, hands-on seminars, academic meetings and other activities.
Article 11 (Rights of members)
1. All members may take part in the activities of the Society, register cases in the registry, and present at meetings held by the Society; provided that the scope of participation of Supporting Members shall be determined separately by the Steering Committee.
2. Members may attend the General Assembly and express their opinions there.
3. Members may at any time submit to the Steering Committee, through the secretariat, opinions concerning the operation of the Society, and the Steering Committee shall take such opinions under deliberation.
4. Voting rights in the Society are held by Steering Committee Members only.
Article 11-2 (Obligations of members)
1. Regular Members shall register in the multi-institutional case registry operated by the Society the cases they have themselves performed; provided that this shall not apply where the consent of the patient cannot be obtained or where there is other legitimate reason.
2. Associate Members shall cooperate in the registration of cases in accordance with the preceding paragraph.
3. The scope, method and procedure of case registration shall be governed by the Case Registry Regulations established separately by the Steering Committee.
Article 12 (Change of membership category)
An Associate Member who comes to satisfy the requirements of Article 7, item (1) may become a Regular Member by notifying the secretariat.
Article 13 (Withdrawal)
A member may withdraw from the Society at any time by submitting a notice of withdrawal to the secretariat.
Article 14 (Loss of membership and expulsion)
1. A member shall lose membership upon any of the following:
(1) withdrawal from the Society;
(2) loss of the licence to practise medicine (Regular Members and Associate Members only);
(3) where membership fees have been set, failure to pay them for two or more fiscal years;
(4) death or dissolution.
2. Where a member breaches these Articles or seriously damages the reputation of the Society, the member may be expelled by resolution of two-thirds or more of the Steering Committee Members. In such case, the member concerned shall be given an opportunity to be heard in advance.
CHAPTER 3 OFFICERS
Article 15 (Composition of officers)
The Society shall have the following officers:
(1) Chair: one;
(2) Steering Committee Members: not fewer than two and not more than ten, including the Chair;
(3) Secretaries: a small number;
(4) Auditors: not fewer than one and not more than two.
Article 16 (Election of officers)
1. Steering Committee Members and Auditors shall be elected by the Steering Committee from among the Regular Members.
2. The Chair shall be determined by mutual election among the Steering Committee Members.
3. Secretaries shall be appointed by the Chair with the consent of the Steering Committee.
4. An Auditor may not concurrently serve as a Steering Committee Member or as a Secretary.
Article 17 (Duties of officers)
1. The Chair shall represent the Society and shall have general charge of its affairs.
2. Steering Committee Members shall constitute the Steering Committee, and shall deliberate upon and decide matters concerning the operation of the Society.
3. Secretaries shall carry out the work of the secretariat under the direction of the Chair.
4. Auditors shall audit the accounts and the execution of the affairs of the Society, and shall report the results to the Steering Committee and to the General Assembly.
Article 18 (Term of office)
1. The term of office of officers shall be two years, and reappointment is not precluded.
2. The term of office of an officer elected to fill a vacancy shall be the remaining term of the predecessor.
3. Officers shall continue to perform their duties after the expiry of their term until a successor takes office.
Article 19 (Advisors)
1. The Steering Committee may appoint as an Advisor a person of learning and experience in sonosurgery or a related field.
2. Advisors shall give advice concerning the operation and the academic activities of the Society.
3. The term of office of an Advisor shall be two years, and reappointment is not precluded.
CHAPTER 4 MEETINGS
Article 20 (General Assembly)
1. The General Assembly shall consist of all members.
2. The General Assembly shall be held once in each fiscal year, in conjunction with a meeting held by the Society.
3. The General Assembly shall be convened by the Chair, who shall act as chairperson.
4. At the General Assembly the Society shall report on its activities, its accounts and the state of its membership, and shall hear the opinions of the members.
5. The General Assembly shall not take votes. Resolutions of the Society shall be made by the Steering Committee as provided in the following Articles.
Article 21 (Steering Committee)
1. The Steering Committee shall consist of the Steering Committee Members.
2. The Steering Committee shall be the highest decision-making body of the Society.
3. The Steering Committee shall be convened by the Chair, who shall act as chairperson.
4. Secretaries and Auditors may attend the Steering Committee and express their opinions, but shall have no voting rights.
Article 22 (Matters for resolution by the Steering Committee)
The following matters shall require a resolution of the Steering Committee:
(1) amendment of these Articles;
(2) the establishment, amendment and repeal of regulations and detailed rules;
(3) the election and removal of officers;
(4) the approval of admissions and the expulsion of members;
(5) the plan of activities and the report of activities;
(6) the budget and the settlement of accounts;
(7) whether membership fees are to be collected and their amount;
(8) transition to incorporated status;
(9) dissolution and the disposal of residual assets;
(10) any other important matter concerning the operation of the Society.
Article 23 (Quorum and resolutions of the Steering Committee)
1. A meeting of the Steering Committee shall be duly constituted where a majority of the Steering Committee Members are present.
2. Resolutions of the Steering Committee shall be adopted by a majority of the Steering Committee Members present; provided that matters specified in Article 36 and Article 38 shall require the affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of the Steering Committee Members.
3. The Steering Committee shall disclose the substance of its resolutions to the members.
Article 24 (Manner of holding meetings)
1. The General Assembly and the Steering Committee may be held by electromagnetic means, including online conferencing or equivalent methods.
2. Resolutions of the Steering Committee may be made in writing or by electromagnetic means.
Article 25 (Minutes)
Minutes shall be prepared of the proceedings of the General Assembly and of the Steering Committee, and shall be kept at the secretariat.
CHAPTER 5 SEMINARS AND ACADEMIC MEETINGS
Article 26 (Holding of meetings)
1. The Society shall hold a seminar, a hands-on seminar or an academic meeting at least once each year.
2. The type, timing and form of the meetings to be held shall be determined by the Steering Committee.
Article 27 (Organisers)
1. An organiser shall be appointed for each meeting referred to in the preceding Article, determined upon deliberation by the Steering Committee.
2. Where an academic meeting is held, its organiser shall be styled President of the Academic Meeting.
3. The organiser shall be responsible for the planning and conduct of the meeting concerned.
CHAPTER 6 FINANCE
Article 28 (Revenue)
The expenses required for the operation of the Society shall be met from membership fees, participation fees for its activities, donations, sponsorship, advertising fees, exhibition fees and other revenue.
Article 29 (Acceptance of donations and sponsorship)
1. The Society may accept donations, sponsorship, advertising fees and exhibition fees from companies and other organisations.
2. In accepting the foregoing, the Society shall comply with the Fair Competition Code of the Medical Device Industry, the Transparency Guidelines for the relationship between the medical device industry and medical institutions, and other applicable laws and industry self-regulatory standards.
3. The Society shall disclose in its annual report, for each fiscal year, the names of the providers of funds accepted from companies and other organisations and the total amount so accepted.
4. The Society shall not make recommendations favouring any particular company or product.
5. The categories of Supporting Membership, the categories of sponsorship and the associated benefits shall be governed by Supporting Membership Regulations established separately by the Steering Committee.
Article 30 (Fiscal year)
The fiscal year of the Society shall begin on 1 April each year and end on 31 March of the following year.
Article 31 (Settlement of accounts and audit)
1. After the end of each fiscal year the Chair shall prepare a statement of accounts and a report of activities, which shall be audited by the Auditors and approved by the Steering Committee.
2. The documents referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be disclosed to the members and reported to the General Assembly.
3. Until an Auditor has been elected, the documents referred to in paragraph 1 shall be disclosed to the members upon approval by the Steering Committee.
CHAPTER 7 COMPLIANCE
Article 32 (Conflicts of interest)
1. Members shall declare any conflict of interest when presenting at a meeting held by the Society, when registering cases in the registry, and when publishing in the name of the Society.
2. Matters concerning the declaration and management of conflicts of interest shall be governed by guidelines established separately by the Steering Committee.
Article 33 (Handling of personal information)
1. The Society shall use the personal information of its members solely for the purposes of communication from the Society, the preparation of the membership list, and the conduct of its activities.
2. The Society shall not provide the membership list to any third party, including Supporting Members.
3. Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, statistical information from which individuals cannot be identified, such as the number of members, the types of institution and the geographical distribution, may be provided or published.
Article 34 (Research ethics)
The registry and any other research conducted by the Society shall be carried out in accordance with the Ethical Guidelines for Life Science and Medical Research Involving Human Subjects, the Clinical Trials Act and other applicable laws and guidelines, and with the approval of the requisite research ethics committee.
Article 35 (Compliance with laws and regulations)
In the activities of the Society, members shall comply with the Medical Practitioners Act, the Medical Care Act, the Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, the Medical Advertising Guidelines and other applicable laws and regulations.
CHAPTER 8 SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
Article 36 (Amendment of these Articles)
These Articles may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of the Steering Committee Members. Any amendment shall be notified promptly to the members.
Article 37 (Transition to incorporated status)
The Society may, by resolution of the Steering Committee, be converted into a general incorporated association or other legal entity. In such case the governance structure of the entity shall follow applicable law, and the intent of these Articles shall be carried over into the articles of incorporation of that entity.
Article 38 (Dissolution and residual assets)
1. The Society shall be dissolved by the affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of the Steering Committee Members.
2. Any residual assets at the time of dissolution shall, by resolution of the Steering Committee, be donated to an organisation having a purpose similar to that of the Society.
Article 39 (Detailed regulations)
Matters necessary for the implementation of these Articles shall be provided for in separate detailed regulations established by resolution of the Steering Committee.
Article 39-2 (Authoritative text)
The Japanese text shall be the authoritative text of these Articles. Translations into English or any other language are prepared for reference only, and in the event of any discrepancy in interpretation the Japanese text shall prevail.
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
1. These Articles shall come into force on 9 August 2026.
2. The officers at the time of establishment of the Society shall be as follows:
(1) Chair: Yuki Todani (Director, Marugame Orthopaedics & Sports Todani Clinic);
(2) Steering Committee Member: Wataru Iwamoto (Head of Sports Orthopaedics, Edogawa Hospital);
(3) Steering Committee Member: Tomoki Furutani (Chief of Orthopaedics, Okayama Kyoritsu Hospital);
(4) Secretary: Taku Mizuno (Marugame Orthopaedics & Sports Todani Clinic).
3. An Auditor shall be elected at the first meeting of the Steering Committee.
4. The first fiscal year of the Society shall run from the date these Articles come into force to 31 March 2027.
5. Membership fees shall be determined at the first meeting of the Steering Committee held after these Articles come into force.
