The Tokyo Gakushi Kaiin, the forerunner of the Japan Academy, was first founded in 1879, adopting European type of academy system. Its activities continued until 1906, when it was succeeded by the newly organized Imperial Academy (Teikoku Gakushiin). This new Academy became a member of the Association Internationale des Académies in 1907 and sent out in the same year two academy members, Yasutsugu Shigeno and Dairoku Kikuchi, to Vienna to participate in the third general assembly of the Association.