The first chamber of commerce and industry in Japan was the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce (later known as the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry), founded by Eiichi Shibusawa in March 1878. Chambers of commerce were also established in Osaka and Kobe that same year, and subsequently in a succession of other major cities throughout Japan.

The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) was founded in June 1922 at the initiative of the chambers of commerce and industry established nationwide by that time as a federative organization to pursue activities focusing on the Japanese economy as a whole. With its missions being to boost the vitality of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to revitalize local economies, the JCCI has since taken part in a wide range of activities while working closely with chambers of commerce and industry across the country.

Now boasting a membership of 515 chambers of commerce and industry located throughout Japan, the JCCI operates as a private-sector regional comprehensive economic organization under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Act. It also provides support to local chambers of commerce and industry directly assisting SMEs and local communities, engages in international private-sector economic exchanges, and develops human resources for industry through certifying examinations.