Membership Regulations

Regular JAF membership is awarded to owners of private passenger vehicles residing in Japan, users of vehicles, and persons interested in automobile traffic, who have joined JAF in agreement to the purposes of the Federation. There are three types of membership, as follows:

• (1)Individual members: Members that have joined individually.
• (2)Family members: Family members who live in the same household or share a living with an Individual member. Family means relatives defined by civil law.
• (3)Corporate members: Corporate or group members made up of regular corporate members and car rental members.
  
  Car rental members shall be limited to businesses that have permits to run car rental businesses.

Admission procedures according to the membership category shown below must be completed to become a regular member.

• (1)The applicant for Individual membership must pay the joining fee and membership fee and complete the prescribed admission procedures.
• (2)The Individual member whose family apply for Family membership must pay the membership fee and complete the prescribed admission procedures.
  Family members are exempted from the joining fee. Up to five members of the family who live in the same household or share a living with the Individual member are eligible to become JAF Family members.
• (3)Applicants for Corporate membership must pay the joining fee and membership fee and complete the prescribed admission procedures which are intended for the corporate members. To become a car rental member, applicants must also agree to the separately prescribed car rental membership agreement.

The Corporate member must register the vehicle’s registration number or vehicle number (hereinafter “vehicle number” with JAF. Membership fees are required for each vehicle (each membership card for car rental members) in addition to the applicable membership fee.

Regular membership becomes effective when the applicant receives a membership card (or temporary membership card).

For car rental members only, membership is effective from the date determined by JAF.

JAF will issue and lend a membership card with the expiration date printed on it (hereinafter “regular membership card”) for use upon membership.
JAF will issue and lend membership cards to be used for more than one year (hereinafter “multi-year membership card”) for use by the following members:

• (1)Members who pay for one-year membership annually by automatic transfer through a bank account at a financial institution designated by JAF or ordinary postal savings account, or by credit card withdrawal (hereinafter “automatic transfer”).
• (2)Members who pay for multiple years of membership for a predetermined period in one lump sum by cash or credit card.
  • 2 If a membership card is lost, the member must submit a report of loss to JAF.
    JAF will then reissue a membership card for a prescribed reissuance fee.
  • 3 A copy of JAF's club magazine will be distributed to each member (except for Family members).

The sole validation for membership qualifications is membership card. Members are requested to carry their membership card at all times.

2 Members whose membership card has expired will not be eligible for JAF membership services.

The valid term of an ordinary membership card for new membership is one year from the end of the month of joining.
The valid term of the multi-year membership card defined in Article 4.1.1 is five years from the end of the month of joining.
The valid term of the multi-year membership card defined in Article 4.1.2 is the number of years corresponding to the amount of the lump sum payment of membership fee, from the end of the month of joining.

• 2 The expiration date of the card for Family members is the same as that for the Individual member who made the application for the Family member.
• 3 In case of loss of membership qualification in accordance with Article 15 in these Regulations, the relevant member’s card shall become invalid.

To renew the membership card expiry date, members must follow the prescribed application procedures and pay the membership fee.

2 Membership fees will be exempted for those who pay their membership fees not later than four months after the expiration date. JAF will issue and lend new membership cards for use that are valid from the expiration date of the earlier card.

Members whose fees are in arrears will not be entitled to membership service offered by JAF until the membership fees are paid in full.

Individual members may discontinue payment of membership fees for overseas assignments, medical treatment or other reasons for up to five years as long as they take the proper procedures in advance. Such members will not be entitled to membership services offered by JAF for the duration of discontinuance.

2 To resume membership, the member who has discontinued membership must pay membership fees starting from the time of the cancellation of discontinuance according to the prescribed procedures. The member will not need to pay an additional joining fee.

JAF may charge incidental membership fees when deemed necessary for its management and approved by its Board of Directors.

Members may take part in road safety, environmental protection and other campaigns launched by JAF to enhance their knowledge on traffic or to engage in activities that benefit society.

Members are entitled to membership services offered by JAF during the term of validity of their membership card.

• (1)An Individual member whose name is printed on the membership card is entitled to JAF membership services for Individual members.
• (2)A Family member whose name is printed on the membership card is entitled to JAF membership services for Family members.
• (3)A Corporate member whose company name is printed on the membership card is entitled to JAF membership services for Corporate members.
  
  Regular corporate members are entitled to road services and membership benefits in connection to vehicles for the vehicle whose number is stated on the membership card. For car rental members, this applies to the vehicle which number is registered with JAF.

Members are requested to observe the following:

• (1)Members must present their membership card to be entitled to membership services offered by JAF. Members will be treated as nonmembers if they fail to show their membership card.
• (2)Members must not hand over or lend their membership card to others.
• (3)Members must promptly notify any change of name or address to JAF.
• (4)Corporate members must promptly notify JAF when replacing a vehicle that is eligible for road service or membership benefits.
• (5)Members must observe traffic rules at all times and avoid acting in a way that may cause trouble to others.
• (6)When receiving JAF road services, members must follow the instructions or warnings given by the road service staff.

JAF will not be responsible for any damage or accident resulting in injury or death caused by its road services unless the act was done intentionally or due to gross negligence on the part of JAF.

Regular members who wish to withdraw from their membership need to notify JAF of their intention of withdrawal by telephone or fax. Note that when provisions in Section 2 of Article 16 apply, the withdrawing member must submit the prescribed membership withdrawal form.

Members will lose their membership qualifications in the following cases:

• (1)When the member communicates his/her intention of withdrawal to JAF.
• (2)When the member becomes an adult ward or a person under curatorship.
• (3)When the member has not paid the membership fee by the deadline prescribed in JAF’s constitution.
• (4)When the approval of all JAF representatives has been obtained.
• (5)When the member has died or the company has dissolved.
• (6)When the member has been expelled in accordance with JAF’s constitution.
• (7)When an Individual member loses his/her membership qualifications, family members whose admission the Individual member has applied for lose their membership qualifications. Family members also lose their membership qualifications when they no longer live in the same household with or share a living with the Individual member.

Members will be stripped of all their membership rights when they lose their membership qualifications in accordance with provisions in Article 15. Those who have lost their membership rights must return their membership card to JAF without delay in accordance with JAF’s instructions or securely destroy their membership card by cutting the card. Fees that have already been paid and settled will not be refunded.

2 If those members who have paid their membership fees for several years apply for withdrawal during the validity of their membership, JAF, regardless of the preceding Article, will refund the membership fees paid for years that have not yet started, after deducting the prescribed handling charges.

Honorary membership is awarded to distinguished individuals who have agreed to become JAF members and who are recommended by the JAF Board of Directors.

2 Admission and renewal procedures for honorary members will be handled by the JAF secretariat. Rights and obligations of honorary members will be equivalent to those of Individual members.

Supplementary Provisions (January 26, 2017).

The regulations shown above take effect on April 1, 2017.