Noriaki Kano (2005) “Asia Quality Network (ANQ) as a Platform for Quality Development in Asia ---Thanks Message on Retiring Chairperson of Asian Network for Quality (ANQ)---“, Hinshitsu (Quality), Journal of Japanese Society for Quality Control, Vol.35, No.2, pp.215-221
January 2005
Dr. Noriaki Kano 2002-2004 Chairperson
Asia Quality Network (ANQ) as a Platform for Quality Development in Asia
---Thanks Message on Retiring Chairperson of Asian Network for Quality (ANQ)---
Dr. Noriaki Kano 2002-2004 Chairperson
Asian Network for Quality kano_n@ms.kagu.tus.ac.jp
- Let me express my sincere condolences to the people of the Asian regions that have lost over a hundred and fifty thousand people due to one of the most disastrous Sumatra earthquakes and resulting Tsunami on record. My sympathy is offered to those who have lost their family members and friends besides losing their homes and belongings. I wonder whether this also might have affected member bodies of the Asian Network for Quality.
- As the Memorandum of1 Understanding dated 17 November 2002 stipulates, my term as Chairperson of the Asian Network for Quality (ANQ) expired on 31 December 2004. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep thanks to the Board Members, Representatives of the Member Bodies and all the people who have been involved in the activities of Asian Network for Quality for their kind and enthusiastic cooperation during my term in office. I feel that these two-odd years passed very quickly since I was nominated at the Founding Meeting on 17 November 2002.
- It was surprising to find that there were approximately two thousand five hundred e-mails saved in my ANQ holder. Based on these e-mails and over one thousand files stored in my PC, let me take this opportunity to briefly look back upon how ANQ was born and how ANQ has been developed over the past three-odd years.
1. Foundation of ANQ
The Asian Quality Symposium (AQS), the parent organization of ANQ, was founded by:
Korean Society for Quality Control (KSQC) and
Chinese Society for Quality Control (CSQC)
Remark:
KSQC changed the name into Korean Society for Quality Management (KSQM)) in 1994
CSQC changed the name into Chinese Society for Quality (CSQ) in 1997
The First AQS was held in Seoul on 9 July 1987. Japanese Society for Quality Control (JSQC) joined the AQS in 1991.
- At the steering committee of the 15th AQS 2001 Daejeon, Korea, hosted by KSQM in November 2001, Dr. Chih-han Wang, President of CSQ, made a proposal to expand the AQS to the quality symposium of all Asian countries and to establish an Asian organization for quality. His proposal was immediately accepted by Prof. Hyung Wook Kim, President of KSQM and Dr. Noriaki Kano, President of JSQC.
- I understood that it was a duty for JSQC, the host organization of the 16th AQS, 2002, Tokyo to act on this proposal. After returning from Korea, I immediately invited
to join the AQS by contacting with Mr. Yu Xian Zhong, Director, Quality Department, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), China and Ms. Ma Lin, Vice President of CAQ who had by chance visited Tokyo. Then, I made business trips to Taipei, Seoul and Beijing for consultation and negotiation as well as frequently exchanging e-mails. All the leaders of the three organizations were so cooperative from the long range and global viewpoints that we managed to finalize the details of revising our AQS agreement at the end of June and to hold a tentative AQS Steering Committee meeting in order to formally approve the affiliation of CAQ with AQS on 27 July 2002. Moreover, we agreed to have a preparatory meeting with other Asian quality organizations for founding an Asian quality organization on the same day.
In spite of very short notice, the three quality organizations from
assembled at this meeting on the scheduled day in addition to CAQ, CSQ (Chinese Taipei), KSQM and JSQC. CAQ was approved to join AQS, and we unanimously approved the “Tokyo Appeal 2002 Expanding AQS (Asia Quality Symposium) towards establishing ANQ (Asian Network for Quality)”.
The 16th AQS 2002, Tokyo, and the meeting of a preparatory committee for ANQ were held in Tokyo hosted by JSQC co-organized with CAQ, CSQ (Chinese Taipei) and KSQM on 14th-17th November 2002. The following new members
Remark:Remark: Later, ISQ-Iran changed the name into Iranian Society of Quality Managers (ISQM)
participated in this AQS and ANQ meeting in addition to the seven organizations that assembled in the July meeting. At this time, we declared the foundation of ANQ and established the Board with the four founding organizations CAQ, CSQ (Chinese Taipei), KSQM and JSQC. Then, it was unanimously agreed in the first Board Meeting that ISQ-India be approved as a Board Organization.