The Swiss Society of the Kansai was founded on June 8. 1979. It grew out of an earlier informal grouping which had been organizing an annual Swiss National Day celebration in the Kobe area. A total of 47 people, including Swiss Consul Schärer, were present at the founding meeting.

The first committee:

H. Meisterhans, A. Müller, W. Wegmann, P. Neeser,  C. Vogel-Eysern (auditor), R. Greiner (auditor)
F. Ermel (vice president), R. Maier, P. Schneider (actuary), A. Binder (president), H. Singer (treasurer)