The Articles of Incorporation of Pickleball Japan (PJ).
Download the Articles of Incorporation as a PDF (JP)
This is a reference translation of our official Articles of Incorporation for international readers. The Japanese-language PDF above is the governing legal document.
This foundation shall be called “一般財団法人ピックルボール日本連盟” in Japanese, and shall be represented in English as Pickleball Japan Federation (abbreviated as “PJ”).
This foundation shall have its principal office in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.
As the body representing pickleball in Japan, this foundation aims to create an international sporting culture through pickleball, foster an inclusive society and high-wellbeing communities that promote connection between people, and contribute to friendship among members and to the nation’s physical and mental health and fitness.
To achieve the purpose set out in the preceding article, this foundation shall carry out the following activities:
As the body representing pickleball in Japan, this foundation shall pursue membership in international federations.
The name and address of this foundation’s founder, and the assets contributed along with their value, are as follows:
The assets contributed by the founder upon establishment of this foundation, as set out in the preceding article, shall constitute this foundation’s basic property.
2. The basic property is indispensable to achieving this foundation’s purpose, and must be managed with the care of a good manager. Disposing of, or removing from basic-property status, any part of the basic property requires approval by a majority of two-thirds or more of the trustees entitled to vote on the resolution, excluding any trustee with a special interest in the matter.
This foundation’s fiscal year shall run from May 1 of each year to April 30 of the following year.
Documents setting out this foundation’s business plan, budget, and expected funding and capital investment shall be prepared by the director(s) acting on the foundation’s behalf and approved by the Board of Directors no later than the day before the start of each fiscal year. The same applies to any amendment of these documents.
For each fiscal year, the Representative Director shall, after the end of that fiscal year, prepare the following documents regarding the foundation’s business report and financial statements, have them audited by the Auditor, obtain the approval of the Board of Directors, and submit them to the Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Trustees. Items 1 and 2 below shall be reported to the Board of Trustees, and Items 3 through 6 shall require its approval.
2. In addition to the documents reported on or approved as set out in the preceding paragraph, the audit report shall be kept at the principal office for five years and at any secondary offices for three years, and the Articles of Incorporation shall be kept at both the principal office and any secondary offices.
This foundation may, where necessary for carrying out its activities, establish special accounts by resolution of the Board of Directors.
This foundation shall have not fewer than three and not more than ten trustees.
Trustees shall be appointed and dismissed by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
A trustee’s term of office shall end at the close of the Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Trustees relating to the last fiscal year ending within four years of appointment.
2. The term of office of a trustee appointed to fill a vacancy left by a trustee who retired before the end of their term shall run until the end of the term that the retiring trustee would otherwise have served.
3. Where the number of trustees falls below the quorum required under these Articles, a trustee who has retired due to the expiration of their term or resignation shall retain the rights and duties of a trustee until a newly appointed trustee takes office.
Trustees shall in principle serve without remuneration. However, provided the total amount does not exceed ¥3,000,000 in any fiscal year, trustees may be paid remuneration calculated in accordance with separate standards set by the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees shall consist of all trustees.
The Board of Trustees shall resolve on the following matters:
This foundation shall hold an Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Trustees within three months of the end of each fiscal year, and an Extraordinary Meeting of the Board of Trustees whenever necessary.
Except as otherwise provided by law, meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be convened by the Representative Director based on a resolution of the Board of Directors.
2. A trustee may request the Representative Director to convene a meeting of the Board of Trustees, stating the purpose of the meeting and the reason for convening it.
3. The Representative Director shall chair meetings of the Board of Trustees.
Except as otherwise provided by law or these Articles, resolutions of the Board of Trustees require the attendance of a majority of the trustees entitled to vote, excluding any trustee with a special interest in the resolution, and shall be passed by a majority of those in attendance.
2. Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the following resolutions require the approval of at least two-thirds of the trustees entitled to vote, excluding any trustee with a special interest in the resolution:
Minutes of meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be prepared in accordance with law.
This foundation shall have the following officers:
2. One of the directors shall serve as Representative Director.
Directors and the Auditor shall be appointed by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
2. The Representative Director shall be selected from among the directors by resolution of the Board of Directors.
The directors shall constitute the Board of Directors and shall carry out their duties in accordance with law and these Articles.
2. The Representative Director shall represent this foundation and execute its business in accordance with law and these Articles.
The Auditor shall audit the directors’ performance of their duties and prepare an audit report in accordance with law.
2. The Auditor may at any time request a report on operations from the directors and staff, and may investigate the status of this foundation’s business and assets.
A director’s term of office shall end at the close of the Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Trustees relating to the last fiscal year ending within two years of appointment.
2. The Auditor’s term of office shall end at the close of the Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Trustees relating to the last fiscal year ending within four years of appointment.
3. The term of office of a director appointed to increase the number of directors shall be the same as the remaining term of the other directors in office.
4. The term of office of a director or the Auditor appointed to fill a vacancy shall run until the end of the predecessor’s term.
5. Where the number of directors or Auditors falls below the quorum required under Article 22, a director or Auditor who has retired due to the expiration of their term or resignation shall retain the rights and duties of that office until a newly appointed person takes office.
A director or the Auditor may be dismissed by resolution of the Board of Trustees where any of the following applies. However, dismissing the Auditor requires approval by at least two-thirds of the trustees entitled to vote, excluding any trustee with a special interest in the resolution.
Directors and the Auditor may be paid remuneration, calculated in accordance with separate standards set by resolution of the Board of Trustees, as compensation for performing their duties, subject to a resolution of the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Directors shall consist of all directors.
The Board of Directors shall carry out the following duties:
Except as otherwise provided by law, meetings of the Board of Directors shall be convened by the Representative Director.
2. Where the Representative Director is absent or unable to act, another director shall convene the meeting, in an order determined in advance by the Board of Directors.
3. Notice convening a meeting of the Board of Directors shall be sent to each director and the Auditor no later than five days before the meeting, except that this period may be shortened where urgently necessary.
4. A meeting of the Board of Directors may be held without following the convening procedure where all directors and the Auditor consent.
Resolutions of the Board of Directors require the attendance of a majority of the directors entitled to vote, excluding any director with a special interest in the resolution, and shall be passed by a majority of those in attendance.
2. Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, where a director proposes a matter that is the subject of a Board of Directors’ resolution, and all directors entitled to vote on that matter indicate their consent in writing or by electromagnetic record (except where the Auditor raises an objection to the proposal), the proposal shall be deemed to have been approved by resolution of the Board of Directors.
3. The Representative Director shall chair meetings of the Board of Directors.
Minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors shall be prepared in accordance with law.
2. The Representative Director and the Auditor who attended the meeting shall affix their name and seal, or sign, the minutes referred to in the preceding paragraph.
These Articles may be amended by resolution of the Board of Trustees, passed by at least two-thirds of the trustees entitled to vote.
2. The preceding paragraph also applies to this foundation’s purpose and activities, and to the method of appointing and dismissing trustees.
This foundation shall be dissolved upon the loss of its basic property rendering it unable to achieve its stated purpose, or for any other reason set out in law.
Where this foundation is liquidated, any residual assets shall be disposed of by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
Public notices by this foundation shall be given by posting in a place visible to the public at the principal office.
This foundation’s first fiscal year shall run from the date of its establishment to April 30, 2025.
The trustees at the time of this foundation’s establishment shall be as follows:
The directors, Representative Director, and Auditor at the time of this foundation’s establishment shall be as follows:
Directors at establishment
Representative Director at establishment
Auditor at establishment
Any matter not provided for in these Articles shall be governed by the Act on General Incorporated Associations and General Incorporated Foundations and other applicable laws and regulations.
To establish Pickleball Japan Federation, acting as agent for the founder, judicial scrivener MASASHI HOSHINO has prepared these Articles of Incorporation and affixed an electronic signature to them.
June 12, 2024 (Reiwa 6)
Founder: QUINN STEFAN RIORDAN
(address omitted from publication)
Agent for the above: Judicial Scrivener, MASASHI HOSHINO
(address omitted from publication)
Pickleball Japan