| The number of international conferences held in Japan
increased dramatically with the holding of the Olympic Games in Tokyo
in 1964. Fueled by this trend, professional congress organization
became an independent industry in Japan. Since that time, professional
congress organizers (PCOs) have played an important role in the smooth
management of international conferences in Japan by serving as specialists
who comprehensively organize, plan, and manage conventions and other
gatherings, and provide related services.
In 1986, the Japan Association of Professional Congress Organizers
(JAPCO) was established by seven major PCOs. Through the cooperation
of member corporations, JAPCO has aimed to make an important contribution
to Japanese government, industry, academia, culture, and other fields
by providing highly reliable and efficient conference-organizing
services.
Today, JAPCO is being enhanced further as our number of members
increases, entities from associated industries become honorary and
supporting members, and many corporations from related fields join
as associate members.
As internationalization and information technology have advanced
in Japan in recent years, the environment surrounding the convention
industry has changed markedly, as exemplified by policies for the
Japanese public and private sector to work together to actively
bid for international conventions with the enactment of the Convention
Law. With these developments, the technologies and services required
of PCOs have changed greatly.
JAPCO members are selected based on a strict screening and share
a common philosophy. We aim to develop the convention market in
a sound fashion by freely competing and cooperating together to
provide superior-quality services at reasonable prices under the
JAPCO name.
Members aim to exchange knowledge, experience, and technology and
to improve the overall level of the industry through close cooperation.
In this way, JAPCO aims to contribute to the development and promotion
of the convention industry in Japan and in turn to promote the sound
internationalization of the country and enhance international goodwill
and cooperation.
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