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JPA / Zenkoku Suisen Renraku Kaigi · Founded 1949 · Tokyo, Japan · Japan
The Japan Pilots' Association (Zenkoku Suisen Renraku Kaigi) was founded 1949 shortly after the Pilot Act framework was enacted during the US Occupation. Today JPA represents ~600 Japanese licensed pilots across ~40 pilotage districts around major Japanese ports including Tokyo Bay (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Chiba), Ise Bay (Nagoya, Yokkaichi), Osaka Bay (Osaka, Kobe, Sakai), Setouchi Inland Sea (Kure, Iyo-Nada, Bisan-Seto), and Kyushu ports (Fukuoka, Kagoshima). Japanese pilotage is compulsory in districts designated under the Pilot Act, and pilot licensing follows a rigorous multi-stage qualification pathway: master's ticket → pilotage-district-specific route qualification → JCG examination. Foreign visiting vessels arriving in Japanese pilotage districts should expect the pilot boat to intercept at the designated pilot boarding position (published in Japanese Coast Guard chart notes) and to follow the SOLAS V/23 pilot-transfer standard. JPA also runs pilot-boat safety-standard consultations with MLIT — a topic of ongoing relevance given the high maritime-traffic density in the Setouchi Inland Sea.
https://suisenkyokai.jp/contact — Tokyo HQ + per-district branch offices.