ACTIVITIES

EDUCATION

1. NON-LIFE INSURANCE EDUCATIONAL COURSES

The institute holds the following courses for the purpose of giving education and training principally to those who are engaged in the non-life insurance business.

Regular Course

This course is aimed at providing basic knowledge of the fundamentals of non-life insurance. The course currently consists of 16 subjects, such as Principles of Insurance, Insurance Laws and Risk Management. Certificates are awarded to participants who have completed the course and passed the examinations.

A correspondence course is available for those who are unable to attend the classes held in the evening in Tokyo. In the 2010 term, 158 people undertook the course in class and 955 undertook the correspondence course.

Advanced Course

This course is aimed at providing advanced education on non-life insurance and related fields. It covers many different subjects and each subject comprises several sessions presented at varying intervals during the year. Applicants are free to select subjects depending on their interests and needs.

Correspondence courses are also available, but for a more limited number of subjects. During the 2010 term, 1660 people attended classes held principally in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya on 66 subjects, and 214 undertook Correspondence Courses on 14 subjects.

Special Course

This course provides a broad range of specialised knowledge and information directly and indirectly related to insurance. Similar to the Advanced Course, each lecture is given at varying intervals during the year. During the 2010 term, 46 lectures were given on this course.

2. SEMINARS

Each year the institute holds seminars for the purpose of disseminating information and knowledge on current topics related to the industry. Specialists in their respective fields are invited to speak at these seminars. The following are the major seminars given by prominent speakers during 2010:

• “Basic Problem of Company Law Review” by Mr. Seiichi Ochiai, Professor of Law, Chuo Law School
• “Recent Developments at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors”by Mr. Yoshihiro Kawai, Secretary General of IAIS
• “Prospects of the Financial Supervisory Administration” by Mr. Hirofumi Gomi, Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Research Institute (Japan) Co,. Ltd. and by Mr. Seiichi Ochiai, Professor of Law, Chuo Law School

In 1995, the institute initiated a series of ENVIRONMENTAL SEMINARS in order to promote industry-wide awareness of issues related to global environmental problems. The seminar in 2010, which was sponsored by The Toa Reinsurance Company, Limited, considered the following subject:

• “Environmental Protection Activities of Financial Institutions” by Mr. Masao Seki, Associate Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Office of Sompo-Japan Inc.

3. INSURANCE SCHOOL (NON-LIFE) OF JAPAN (ISJ)

[See "ISJ"]

4. EXAMINATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

The institute carries out the function of arranging for and organising examinations in Japan for qualifications granted by overseas insurance institutes. This function first started in 1980 for the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and the Insurance Institute of America, and then for the Chartered Insurance Institute of the U.K. and the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance in 1995 and 2001, respectively.

PUBLICATION

[See "Publications"]

LIBRARY

The library collection accumulated since the foundation of the institute was completely destroyed during World War II. The rebuilding of the library, which started soon after the war, was deeply indebted to large donations of books made by Dr. Kotaro Shida, ex-dean of Meiji University, Dr. Zen-ichi Takiya and Dr. Ikusaburo Shiina. Since that time, the institute has accumulated an extensive collection of works on non-life insurance subjects, as well as legal, economic and other fields. Currently the library comprises some 19,000 volumes and 450 periodicals.

The institute’s library is used not only by employees of non-life insurance companies, but is also widely used by scholars, students and those from various fields seeking information concerning non-life insurance. Enquiries can be made through the Internet, by telephone or by fax, and library staff will carry out a search and recommend appropriate reading material.

RESEARCH

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

The institute conducts extensive research into medium to long-term issues emanating from changes and developments in the economic, social and financial environment surrounding the non-life insurance industry.

The Research Department was set up in July 1990 with the aim of functioning as a think-tank to provide the industry with advice and essential materials for the study of its roles and the direction to take in the new era.

During the 2010 term, studies were conducted on the following two subjects:

• Cooperation and Standardisation Activities by Non-Life Insurance Industries and their Legal bases in the USA and Major European Countries
• Solvency II Framework Directive
  • Vol. 1 Commentary
  • Vol. 2 Related Materials

In addition to the above studies, the Research Department publishes quarterly reports on topical subjects each year. Six main themes were dealt with in 2010.

PROMOTION OF STUDY

JUDICIAL CASE STUDY

In 1995, the institute formed a society for the study of the leading judicial cases, both in the field of non-life insurance and life insurance. The results of the studies were published in the institute’s journal, the “Study of Non-Life Insurance”.

The institute dissolved the above society in December 2007 and started a new society for the study of cases limited to non-life insurance. As of 2011, this society comprises 21 members from universities, 9 members from law offices and 34 members from industry. The results of these studies have also been published in the Journal.

SUBSIDIES FOR NON-LIFE INSURANCE STUDY

The institute offers subsidies to scholars and graduate students engaged in the study of non-life insurance for their expenditures on books and research. The subsidies have been made available since 1993 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the institute and 58 beneficiaries had received grants by 2010.

COOPERATION WITH RELATED ORGANISATIONS

The institute has been serving as the secretariat for the Japanese Society of Insurance Science (JSIS: ”Nihon-Hoken-Gakkai”) since April 1, 2010. The JSIS was established in November 1940 as a nonprofit organisation for the purpose of promoting insurance science in Japan. The JSIS aims to stimulate communication and cooperation among its members, and to exchange in academic activities with foreign academic institutions.

Currently, the number of the individual members of the JSIS is about 900. For details, see the JSIS’s website: http://wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/jsis2