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History

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.

昭和12年（1937）: 12月「塩素聯合会」設立
「晒粉聯合会」に代えて設立。

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).