1-1 The JASTA Organization

In December 1971,regulation for the training of Textiles Advisor(=home economists in clothing consumer affairs)was put into effect,which inevitably brought about the formation of Japan Association of Specilists in Textiles and Apparel（referred to the acronym JASTA)．
This organization is not a legal system．Only in August 1976, it became incorporated body under the jurisdiction of the Textile Products Inspection Administration of the Consumer Goods Industries Bureau, Ministry of Economy,Trade and Industry
(METI)． The Association acknowledges certification at two levels；that is, the first and second degree certification granted home economics graduates who have gained knowledge and techniques pertaining to clothing consumer problems．This unique authorization normally takes the form of a qualification test．It also recognizes fulfillment of the necessary courses taken at the accredited universities and colleges sanctioned by the Association． The universities curriculum must basically have a course equal to or similar to what is called a Clothing and Textiles Course．

1-2 Certified Textiles Advisor

The role of this professional specialist−Textiles Advisor−is same as that aligned to home economists in business in the United States．It is that of integrating consumer and industry/business,to provide information on products and services to improve quality of goods, and to assist consumers in their selection．Certification by a corporation aggregate makes it unique and different from home economists in business in the United States． The newly certified Textiles Advisor are employed by apparel goods makers, department stores and supermarkets, manufacturers and wholesale firms, and Consumer Centers at the central and local level,etc．Its activities are diverged, but the actual functions of these Textiles Advisor are still not up to par with the principles of the Association nor of those achieved by home economists in the United States．

What does the JASTA Do？ The activities fall into a number of categories：

A．Jurisdiction of the Regular-Member Universities

What is meant by a regular-membership? The Associtation's“regular-member”primarily applies to a university or college that has a curriculum befitting for the Textiles Advisor, and is recognized as such by The Association．Hence, The Association’s main function is that of controlling appllications, screening and authorization of its membership．
A university or college must meet such standards as those set for curriculum, faculty structure, facilities and equipments,library books,etc． These standards are designated separately for the first and second degree certification． Before final authorization is made to regular membership, an examination is made of the documents submitted, then, an actual inspection follows to see if the above conditions conform to the standards or not． As of 2004, 16 universities with four-year curriculum are approved for first-degree regular-membership, and 38 four-year and two-years' colleges for second-degree membership, bringing the total to 54 women's universities and colleges throughout Japan．

B．After-Care Program of Regular-Member Universities

The Association maintains its regular-members in the profession on a high educational level, by continuous improvement of its qualification standards and contents to uphold the position of home economics graduates in Textiles and Clothing．Hence, each member university must submit an Annual Report according to a form specified by The Association．Its contents must cover：

1)legally-fixed-number for entrance, total student enrollment and actual　number trained for this specialist within this enrollment
2)curriculum details
3)listing faculty members and courses taught by each
4)provision for facilities, supplies and equipments

Results of this Annual Report eventually forces the member-university to submit a follow-up report within the fiscal year, on the undergone improvement acted upon in respond to The Association's advice given．A noticeable problem is that of difficulty in obtaining well−qualified faculty members for the newly required courses．

C．Status Pertaining to Certification of Textiles Advisor

After completion of requirements, the student takes two examinations(easy-writing on a specific topic given, plus a restricted exam on ｢Science of Consumption｣), administered by The Association． If passing marks are obtained, certificate is granted．

・The number of qualified graduates is shown in Table 1

Year Degree 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
First Degree 59 104 173 125 188 193 192 148 174 151 159
Second Degree 404 669 1050 1137 1114 1099 1350 1284 1216 1117 1107
Total 463 773 1223 1262 1302 1292 1542 1432 1390 1268 1266

Year Degree 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
First Degree 162 194 184 205 215 200 198 178 189 233 187
Second Degree 1109 1040 1170 994 1260 1195 1169 1071 1042 1163 1179
Total 1271 1234 1354 1199 1475 1395 1367 1249 1231 1396 1366

Year Degree 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
First Degree 225 262 252 250 248 264 282 348 366 378 361
Second Degree 1193 1112 998 911 853 894 746 769 754 780 809
Total 1418 1374 1250 1161 1101 1158 1028 1117 1120 1158 1170

Year Degree 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
First Degree 400 370 382 397 446 456 464 439 410 416 430
Second Degree 791 830 757 742 668 620 659 431 468 402 364
Total 1191 1200
 1139 1139 1115 1076 1123 870 878 818 794

Year Degree 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total
First Degree 466 379 375 372 387 13,636
Second Degree 414 286 247 290 300 42,027
Total 880 665 622 662 687 55,663

D．Qualifying Examination of Textiles Evaluation Specialist (TES）

The Association was permitted by Ministry of Economy,Trade and Industry(METI) to qualify the examination of Textiles Evaluation Specialist(TES)in 1981． METI's intention to set up "Textiles Evaluation Specialist" is to decrease the occurance of the consumer Complains concerning apparel goods．
The number of qualified TES is shown in Table 2．

・Table 2：Number of Qualified TES by Year

Year 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
Qualified TES 380 159 143 142 188 196 195 237 279 358 418

Year 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Qualified TES 515 368 262 241 268 308 255 261 243 232 262

Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Qualified TES 358 352 352 348 425 481 482 594 482 495 669

Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Qualified TES 552 493 592 386 524 362 301

E．Seminars and Workshops

Topics of central interest and/or needs based on the current curriculum are selected for Seminars and Workshops, several times annualy, sponsored by The Association． The scope of attendance is basically set for in-service training of teachers presently assigned to the program, but may also expand to include graduates already on the job, as well as off−campus employer-side personnels．

F．Placement Conference

Since birth of The Association, The Association continues in its efforts to encourage the implementation of its original goals and objectives, but yet, is not well permeated in the minds of related businesses, agencies and organizations． Therefore, conferences are held with these providers of goods and human services, cosumer interest groups, and regulatory policy-making agencies, for these groups to develop an overview of The Association's functions in Society．These conference have resulted in an upward trend of employers to specifically ask for certified Textiles Advisor．

G．Publication

1．Text Books

The Association's curriculum has some new courses which still need to be systematized and stabilized both in concept and context．
For instance, "Science of Consumption" is one, so a text has been developed with the guidance of leading professionals．It is distributed for student use to the member- universities．A text has also been developed for "Clothing Construction" to fit the needs of Textiles Advisor in business．
These texts are now being used by non−member institutions also；both for faculty and student use．
All of text books published by The Association are as follows；

･Clothing Construction(theory)
･Clothing Construction(actual training)
･Apparel goods instruction
･Apparel planning
･Apparel Design
･Science of Consumption
･Textile Products' Evaluation Test
･How to behave toward consumer's complain
･How to encounter to consumer
･Marketing
･Fashion goods Marketing
･Way to investigate consumer
･Study for TES qualification test covering knowledges required Textiles and Apparel Industry
･Technical Guide for Consumer Complain Settlement of Textiles and Apparel
･Retail and Apparel Industry
･Textiles Care

2．The JASTA Bulletin

A quarterly bulletin is published as a tool for communication between the Association and its members．
Its contents cover a wide area of topics, ranging from the announcements of study-groups to various professional contents related to consumer interests, scientific facts and so on．

H．Investigation Activity

Students of Textiles Advisor course in associated universities conduct an investigation on clothing consumption realities under the instruction of JASTA．
Main matters for investigation

･the number of sheets of clothing
･fiber composition
･the time to aquire
･using situation
･Laundry
･Home washing situation
･the reasons to stop wearing
･the number of times to wear a year

An intension of this investigation plan are；
1．to make the students to learn investigation technique
2．to provide the data of investigation to the Textiles Advisor in the front
3．to be of some service to textile business world

The Association classifies its member into three groups．

A．Regular-members（88 individuals,universities and colleges corporatives)

The General Meeting of The Association is composed of the Regular−members, and therefore, is entitled to vote．
These Regular−members have the following break−down：

1．Regular-member individuals (40)

Consists of The Association's Committee Members who are specialists of the area concerned．

2．Regular-member Universities and Colleges (34)

Consists of representatives from each member−university/college．

3．Regular-member Corporatives (14)

Consists of influential and representative groups in the japanese business world or testing agencies．
These are as follows；

･Japan Chemical
Fibres Association
･Japan Spinners' Association
･Japan Textile Dyeing Association
･Japan Apparel-Fashion Industry Association Council
･Japan Women's and Children's Wear Manufacturers Association
･Japan Department Stores Association
･Nippon Association of Consumer Specialists
･Federation of Japan Textile Fabric Wholesalers Association
･Federation of Knit Wholesalers Association
･Japan Direct Marketing Association
･Japan Textile Inspection Council
･All Japan Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Association
･Japan Fashion Association
･Nihon Body Fashion Association

B．Supporting-members(6207)

Individuals and Corporatives with willingness to approve and support the aims of The Association compose this group．

1．Supporting-member Individuals(8)

Consists of teachers not restricted to member−universities；
individuals in related businesses and industries, consumer groups, and local agencies of the　government．

2．Supporting-member Corporatives(12)

Consists of firms and industries concerning businesses of textile, apparel, retail, textile inspection agency etc．

3．Supporting-member (Textiles Advisor [2355])

Certified Textiles Advisor; those who desire to maintain communication with The Association　even after certificate is granted．

4．Supporting-member (Textiles Evaluation Specialist [3832])

Qualified Textiles Evaluation Specialist; those who participate the activities of TES-members'　Association．

In Summary, 88 regular-members,6207 supporting-members,totalling 6295, make up the membership of the Association．Income derived from these membership-dues account for approximately 26% of The Association's financial resources．

JASTA OFFICE
2-11-13-205 Shiba−koen，Minato−Ku，Tokyo 105-0011,Japan
TEL. 81-03-3437-6416　　　　FAX. 81-03-3437-3194
e-mail : jasta@mtb.biglobe.ne.jp
URL : http://www.jasta1.or.jp
http://www.ta-shikaku.jp　　　http://www.tes-shikaku.jp

JASTA OFFICE 2-11-13-205 Shiba-koen，Minato-Ku，Tokyo 105-0011,Japan TEL 81-03-3437-6416 FAX 81-03-3437-3194
Copyright© 2004 Japan Association of Specialists in Textiles and Apparel.All Rights Reserved