The Road to JA – US Amateur Radio License Reciprocity
by Dan Domondon, 7J1ABD / WA6URY
The year was 1972. There were a number of US hams living in Japan and were interested in getting on the air. In those days US hams could only get on the air by using a Japanese club call sign. All Japanese ham club calls start with the suffix Y or Z (example JA1YAA / JA1ZAA). The foreign hams had some limitations in operating privileges but it allowed them to get on air and at least partially enjoy their hobby while in Japan.
As I remember it, one day in 1972 Roy Waite (then JA1YSH and W9PQN –SK in 2005) and Chuck Furman (then JA1YOP and WB6WSZ now KG6PH) were having a rag chew on 15 meter SSB. The conversation about general ham topics of the day, drifted into the idea of starting a ham club for foreigners in Japan. The purpose would be to help and encourage foreign hams to get on the air in Japan. The club name Tokyo International Amateur Radio Association (TIARA) came up during the rag chew. Shortly after that I, (then JH1YVW ) coincidently had a QSO with Roy Waite on 15m SSB and he explained to me about the ideas that had emerged for the new club. I attended the first preliminary meeting of the “gaijin hams” which was held on June 8, 1972 (refer to the minutes of the meeting). Roy Waite soon after became the first President and led the club during the early years. Through the years TIARA has been fortunate to have been well supported by both foreign and Japanese hams. Shozo Hara’s (JA1AN) wholehearted support for TIARA during his many years at the helm of the JARL was greatly appreciated. As the years passed, the yearning of foreign hams to be able to operate in Japan with their own call sign increased (of course it was always there from the beginning and from the early days of TIARA it was a goal to someday be realized)..
The year 1985 marked the culmination of many years of uniting efforts by TIARA and its supporters in the Japanese ham community. Due to the contribution of many TIARA members too numerous to mention, and led by the then TIARA president Joe Speroni (AH0A), a reciprocal licensing agreement between the Japan and the United States became a reality on August 8, 1985. When the treaty took effect one month later, JARL President Shozo Hara held the first-ever 7J QSO with TIARA’s President Joe Speroni 7J1AAA (AH0A) and TIARA’s Vice President Bill Stenson 7J1AAB (NA2Y). Successive assignments of 7J call signs followed rapidly.
This year being the 30th year since JA / US license reciprocity agreement, TIARA has decided to celebrate it by obtaining issuance of the special events call 8J1JAUS which will be issued for a six month time period starting in August 2015.
There are today many foreign hams (not only US) in Japan are enjoying operating on the air. Unfortunately, even after 30 years have passed since the first reciprocal agreement, there are only a limited number of reciprocal licensing agreements between Japan and other countries. I hope that in the future, foreign hams of many more nationalities will have the chance to operate in Japan with their own call sign Amateur Radio is constantly evolving, and new technologies make it possible to operate stations over the Internet (by remote) across national boundaries, thus making reciprocity an even more important goal for contributing to international goodwill. There are rumors that the Japanese government may be moving in this direction as we get closer to the Olympic games that will be held in Tokyo in 2020. Let us all hope this becomes a reality.
On behalf of TIARA’s current President, Arie Lukkassen (JE1RYS / KI6EWA) and its members, we hope to work you as 8J1JAUS starting in August 2015. A special commemorative QSL will be issued and sent for all QSOs via the bureau. Look for additional information and updates on the TIARA web page https://www.qsl.net/7j1yaa/
The author thanks Joe Speroni and Bill Stenson for sharing and clarifying for him many historical matters of which are part of this article.
- About the author:
- First licensed in 1961 as WV6URY (Novice), WA6URY since 1962, 7J1ABD since 1985. First came to Japan in 1969, resident of Japan from 1970 to 1974 and continuously since 1980. Charter member and former President (currently Vice-President) of TIARA. Active as 7J1ABD both fixed and portable / mobile and also active as WA6URY by remote from Japan. Operating activities are mainly chasing DX and contesting. Favorite mode is CW but enjoys SSB too.