
CIPA was established on July 1, 2002, according to the resolution at the general meeting of the founding members on May 21, 2002.
Following procedures under the Act on General Incorporated Associations and General Incorporated Foundations, CIPA became a General Incorporated Association at the 7th extraordinary general meeting of members, held on January 27, 2009.

The purpose of CIPA is to facilitate the further growth of our members who are engaged in the development, production or sale of standard film cameras, digital cameras, and related devices, instruments and software (hereinafter collectively referred to as Visual Equipment) by dealing with problems of the industry, such as environmental problems, inadequate compatibility or interoperability between products, and the maintenance of fair market competition, and by promoting research and information exchange. For this purpose, CIPA will carry out the following:
| (1) |
Statistical surveys and provision of information concerning the technical development of Visual Equipment and the market for its products |
| (2) |
Research and provision of information concerning measures to deal with environmental problems related to Visual Equipment |
| (3) |
Research and provision of information concerning measures related to the safety of the consumers of Visual Equipment |
| (4) |
Research and provision of information concerning copyright and other intellectual property rights related to Visual Equipment |
| (5) |
Establishment and diffusion of standards for compatibility or interoperability between Visual Equipment |
| (6) |
Establishment of rules to ensure fair market competition in the development, production and sale of Visual Equipment |
| (7) |
Research and provision of information concerning measures to deal with issues related to commerce and trading of Visual Equipment |
| (8) |
Supply of information to consumers concerning Visual Equipment, for example, by holding exhibitions related to Visual Equipment |
| (9) |
Scientific research and lectures for the development of photography and the visual imaging culture |
| (10) |
Other projects that contribute to the purposes of CIPA |
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