Bylaws

This organization shall be called “Asian-Pacific Association on Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology”, or in short, “APAB” (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”).

Chiba Foundation for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Shin-Minato 32-14, Mihama-Ku, Chiba 261-0002, JAPAN

In light of the founding of supraregional groups devoted to the development of bronchology in their areas such as the European and South American Associations for Bronchology, the need for such a society in the Asian-Pacific region has become more intense.
The aim of our Association is to address the needs of those engaged in the field of bronchology in the areas stretching from the Indian subcontinent in the west to Japan and the Pacific Islands in the east, China in the north and Australia and New Zealand in the south. The APAB intends to work in close cooperation with the WAB.

The major objectives and activities of the Association shall be:-

1. To maintain a worldwide society of highly qualified specialist in bronchology, particularly in the field of bronchoscopy, and related fields of medicine.
2. To act as an umbrella institution to connect and facilitate communications among various bronchology societies in different countries and regions with our part of the world.
3. To promote the highest possible standards in clinical practice, education and research in bronchoscopy, bronchology and related fields in medicine.
4. To be concerned with problems in public health and welfare, and to contribute to the solving of such problems through the promotion of international understanding by exchanging academic knowledge and experiences related to the objectives of the Association.
5. To support a biennial world congress at such place which shall be designated from time to time by the Association, to be held by an individual selected by the Association and cooperate with such congress organizers, officers and staff to attain satisfactory results in such congress activities.
6. To support as much as possible any intercongress regional conferences, symposia, or workshops which may be held throughout the world.
7. To encourage manuscript contributions to the Journal of Bronchology.
8. To issue Newsletters and other publications as may be necessary to promote the objectives of the Association.
9. To cooperate with other medical organizations on an international basis in promoting the highest standards of academic knowledge and experiences relating to the specialty of the Association.
10. To collect international statistics and other information relating to the specialty of the Association.
11. To offer awards to members of the Association recommended by the Committee on Awards of the Association for outstanding research and activities relating to the goals of the Association.
12. To promote any other activities which may be necessary for organizing the Association on a stable basis.
13. To promote the establishment of regional bronchology associations in countries around the world.
14. The Association is non-profit organization.

1. Membership of the Association shall be as follows:-
   1. Active Membership (Individual members) shall be open to any physician or member of any of the health sciences or any scientist who is interested in the goals of Association.
   2. Honorary Membership (Individual members) may be awarded to those formerly active members who have been members of the Association for 10 years or more and who have reached retirement but only if they are considered to have rendered truly outstanding service to the Association.
   3. Corporate Membership (Corporations or Organizations) shall be available to corporations who wish to contribute to the goals of the Association and pay the corporate membership fee.
   4. Special Supporting Membership is available to those noncommercial groups or individuals who wish to support the Association but who do not fit into any of the above categories.

1. Membership fees (Participation expense of this conference) for an Active Member shall be US$ 5.
2. Membership fees for the Association should be collected by the head office.
3. Membership fees can also be collected with the congress registration fee at the discretion of the congress president.

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers and Council Members

a.Officers

The officers of the Society shall consist of the President of the Association, President- elect, Immediate Past-President, Congress President, Immediate Past Congress President, Congress President- Elect, Secretary General, Treasurer and Chairpersons of Permanent Committees.

b.Council Members

Council Members shall be active members who are selected by the Officers.

c.Terms of office

Terms of office shall be for a maximum of 3 2-year periods. Council Members can be reelected after an interval of 2 years following their completion of a previous term of 6 years.

The Executive Committee shall meet annually, on the occasion of the APAB congress and at the World Congress on Bronchology.

1. The rules and regulations for the world congress of the Association shall be established by the President of the congress with consideration of the customs and regulations of the region where the congress is to be organized.
2. The report of such world congresses can be submitted to the JOB.

There shall be several standing committees: Bylaws Committee, Membership Committee and Planning Committee.

There may be additions, alterations, amendments, or deletions from time to time in these Bylaws of the Association as decided by a majority of the Board of Regents, if such recommendations are submitted by the Bylaws Committee.