Insurance School (Non-Life) of Japan (ISJ)

Historical Background

International cooperation in the field of insurance first drew world attention in the mid-1960s, when the Committee on Invisibles and Financing related to Trade (CIFT) under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) put forward its recommendations in October 1966. It recommended that developed countries make an active commitment to international cooperation with developing countries in the field of insurance and reinsurance, including technical assistance, training of human resources and exchange of information and data. In 1968, the recommendation was adopted by the 2nd meeting of the UNCTAD held in New Delhi, India and was readopted by the 3rd meeting in Santiago, Chile in 1972.

Coincidentally, in the 1960s, the East Asia Insurance Congress (EAIC) started talks as to how they could best develop regional collaboration in the field of insurance, including training of human resources. In particular, at its meeting in Seoul, Korea in 1968, the discussion was highly motivated and turned on the idea of founding an Asian Insurance Research Centre and an Insurance Training Programme. However, this plan was premature given the circumstances of the time.

In light of the recommendations adopted by the UN organisation and the discussion developing locally in the East Asian region as well, the Japanese non-life insurance industry started extensive studies as to how it could effectively disseminate, specifically to East Asian insurance people, knowledge and expertise that it had accumulated through its own business operations in Japan.

A draft plan to launch a permanent educational programme for insurance practitioners in the East Asia regions was unanimously approved by the members of The Marine and Fire Insurance Association of Japan (renamed the “General Insurance Association of Japan” in 2003) in October 1971. The programme, entitled the Insurance School (Non-Life) of Japan, started in July 1972 and has been jointly organised by the association and the institute every year since.