自転車活用推進研究会は「自転車を有効かつ安全な交通手段として機能させるには、各省庁及び自治体の横断的・総合的な政策の確立が必要」との認識に立ち、内外の自転車政策の現状を調査・研究、取りまとめるとともに、我が国における総合的自転車政策確立のための提言を取りまとめることを目的として、2000年9月に、学識経験者、マスコミ関係者、自転車愛好家、NPO主宰者、自転車業界関係者等、多彩なメンバーが集まり、財団法人社会経済生産性本部（現・公益財団法人日本生産性本部）が事務局となって発足しました。発足当初より「自転車活用推進議員連盟」と密接に連携し、自転車関連諸法の改正、あるいは新法の骨格を模索し、提言をとりまとめるべく精力的な活動を行い、「自転車活用推進法（2016年12月可決）」の成立に寄与してきました。なお、組織としては2006年3月31日をもって社会経済生産性本部から独立し、同年7月12日にNPO法人としての認証を東京都から受け、特定非営利活動法人自転車活用推進研究会として新しく出発し、今日に至っています。
2020年6月
President: Kobayashi, Shigeki
Secretary-general: Utsumi, Jun
The Bicycle Usage Promotion Study Group recognizes that, for the bicycle to be an effective and safe means of transportation, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive policy across ministries and local governments.
To study and research the current state of the bicycle policy at home and abroad, to put together the recommendations for a comprehensive bicycle policy in Japan.
The study group was created in 2000 by the Japan Productivity Center ( JPC ). In 2006 it became an independent NPO recognized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It currently has 500 members.
The group is working closely with the Japanese Legislators’ Association for Promoting Bicycle Use from its inception on the revision of the bicycle-related laws and most recently it has been working towards the establishment in 2016 of the Bill for the Promotion of Bicycle Use.
Beginning in 2008 the chairman participates as a member in the committee of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the National Policy Agency. In 2011 the committee developed the guidelines and recommended a policy for bicycle lanes to the local governments across the country. In the spring of 2016 the committee will release a revised version of these guidelines.
The study group holds regular study sessions in Tokyo and Osaka where invited lecturers from Japan and abroad share the latest bicycle situation with the members.
When covering bicycle news, the Japanese media consult chairman and the secretary-general. As a matter of fact these two gentlemen had the opportunity to appear on TV programs several times.
