Japan Soda Industry Association

The Japan Soda Industry Association was founded on May 28, 1948. The origin of the industrial group in this sector can, however, be traced back to December 1918, with the establishment of the Soda and Bleaching Powder Society. This society was then reorganized into the Bleaching Powder Association in 1920, and further into the Chlorine Association in 1937, which survived WWII as the Soda Division of the Chemical Industry Control Association. Part of this division was taken over in 1946 by the newly established Soda Industry Association, which was soon reorganized into the Soda Industry Investigation Council. The enforcement of the Antimonopoly Law in 1947 and the Trade Association Law in 1948 led to dissolution of the Council and establishment of a new body as a comprehensive research organization of the industry, the Japan Soda Industry Association.

Chronology of the Japan Soda Industry Association

Dec. 1918	Soda and Bleaching Powder Society established as the first trade association in the sector by 14 manufacturers possessing electrolysis facilities.
June 1920	Bleaching Powder Association established by some members of the Soda and Bleaching Powder Society.
Feb. 1937	Soda Forum established jointly by electrolytic soda and ammonia-soda manufacturers.
Dec. 1937	Chlorine Association established as the successor of the Bleaching Powder Association.
May 1938	Japan Ammonia-Soda Industry Union established.
June 1938	Japan Electrolytic Soda Industry Union established, absorbing the members of the Chlorine Association.
Oct. 1942	The Chemical Industry Control Association established, including the Soda Division in the Second Committee, according to the Ordinance on Important Industries, which absorbed the entire activities of the Japan Ammonia-Soda Industry Union and Japan Electrolytic Soda Industry Union.
July 1946	Soda Industry Association established, partially succeeding the activities of the Soda Division of the Chemical Industry Control Association.
Jan. 1947	Soda Industry Investigation Council established as a research organization for the sector.
May 1948	Japan Soda Industry Association established.
Mar. 1954	Caustic soda production (459,000 tons) exceeds the pre-war maximum level.
Mar. 1956	Resumption of autonomous import of salt as raw material for the soda industry.
Mar. 1966	Japan's demand for chlorine exceeds that of caustic soda for the first time (the imbalance in the fiscal 1965 was 1.18 tons).
Mar. 1968	Soda ash production exceeds one million tons (1.018 million tons). The ammonia process for caustic soda production terminated; production now entirely electrolytic.
Mar. 1969	Caustic soda production exceeds 2 million tons (2.272 million tons).
June 1973	The government decides to promote conversion from the mercury to a non-mercury process and introduction of the closed mercury process.
Mar. 1976	The first phase of process conversion ends (caustic soda capacity 2.769 million tons (61.3%) by the diaphragm process, and 1.747 million tons (38.7%) by the mercury process).
Sept. 1982	"One Hundred Years of the Japanese Soda Industry" published.
June 1986	The second phase of process conversion ends (caustic soda capacity zero by the mercury process, 2.218 million tons (61.3%) by the membrane process, and 1.399 million tons (38.7%) by the diaphragm process).
Feb. 1987	Research started on the application of gas diffusion electrodes for soda electrolysis.
Mar. 1988	Domestic chlorine demand exceeds 4 million tons (4.122 million tons).
Apr. 1988	First International Chloralkali Symposium held.
Apr. 1990	First East Asian Chloralkali Conference held.
Mar. 1996	Caustic soda production exceeds 4 million tons (4.054 million tons).
Apr. 1997	The Salt Monopoly Law abolished; the Salt Industry Law enforced.
Oct. 1997	World Chlorine Conference held in Osaka.
May 1998	50th Anniversary of JSIA.
Sept. 1999	Domestic chloralkali production fully converted to the membrane process.
Mar. 2004	Caustic soda production records the maximum (4.54 million tons).