Any local government that is located in the Northeast Asian region and shares the same founding philosophy of the Association can join NEAR via the prescribed formalities.
Qualifications of Membership
Member - Regional governments in the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and the Federation of Russia in Northeast Asia which have agreed to the founding philosophy of the Association.
Associate Member - Regional governments of countries which are located in Asia excluding the Northeast region and have agreed to the founding philosophy of the Association.
Filling out Application Form (Authorized by Governor)
Submitting to NEAR Secretariat
Qualifying Observer Membership
Approving at General Assembly or Working Committee
Official Membership
(Associate Membership)
Location of NEAR Members
Members
In 1996, the year when NEAR was founded, 29 local governments from four countries – Heilongjiang Province, Shandong Province, and Henan Province of China; Aomori Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, and Toyama Prefecture of Japan; Gyeonggi-do Province, Gangwon-do Province, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, Chungcheongnam-do Province, Jeollabuk-do Province, Jeollanam-do Province, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province of South Korea; Amur Region, Chita Region[Chita Region was integrated into Zabaikalsky Territory along with Aginsky Buryatsky Region on March 1, 2008.] , Irkutsk Region, Kamchatka Territory, Khabarovsk Territory, the Republic of Buryatia, the Republic of Sakha(Yakutia), and Sakhalin Region of Russia – participated
As of 1998, 32 regional governments from five countries
Yamagata Prefecture of Japan, Tuv Province of Mongolia, and Primorsky Territory of Russia joined
Liaoning Province participated as an observer
As of 2000, 34 regional governments from five countries
Yamagata Prefecture of Japan, Tuv Province of Mongolia, and Primorsky Territory of Russia joined
Liaoning Province participated as an observer
As of 2002, 37 regional governments from five countries
Selenge Province of Mongolia, and Hamgyeongbuk-do Province and Rasun City of North Korea joined
As of September 2006, 64 regional governments from six countries
Hubei Province and Hunan Province of China; Daegu Metropolitan City of South Korea; Ulaanbaatar City, Dornod Province, Sukhbaatar Province, Khentii Province, Dornogovi Province, Dundgovi Province, Umnugovi Province, Bulgan Province, Uvurkhangai Province, Bayankhongor Province, Arkhangai Province, Khuvsgul Province, Zavkhan Province, Govi-Altai Province, Khovd Province, Uvs Province, Bayan-Ulgii Province, Orkhon Province, Govisumber Province, and Darkhan-Uul Province of Mongolia; Tomsk Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Tuva, and Altai Territory of Russia joined
As of September 2008, 69 regional governments from six countries
Incheon Metropolitan City, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Daejeon Metropolitan City, and Ulsan Metropolitan City of South Korea and Magadan Region of Russia joined
As of October 2010, 70 regional governments from six countries
Kemerovo Region of Russia joined
As of July 2012, 71 regional governments from six countries
Sejong Self-Governing City of South Korea joined
As of October 2014, 73 regional governments from six countries
Jilin Province of China and the Republic of Khakassia of Russia joined
As of October 2016, 77 regional governments from six countries
Shanxi Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Shaanxi Province, and Anhui Province of China joined
As of October 2018, 78 regional governments from six countries and one associate member
Akita Prefecture of Japan joined
Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam joined as an associate member
As of August 2021, 79 regional governments from six countries and one associate member regional government