In early 1972, the formation of a new Asian Table Tennis body was the fruitful result of the discussion between the China and Japan Table Tennis Association during a visit by the President of Japan Table Tennis Association, Mr. Koji Goto.
This idea was again discussed among Asian Association representatives during the 31st World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya. Japan, and also during the Afro-Asian Table Tennis Friendship Invitation Tournament in Beijing, China. The proposal was well accepted.
In March 1972, representatives of the TTA's of China, DPR Korea and Japan met specially to take an initiative in calling a Preparatory Meeting in Beijing in order to meet in May of the same year as well as to affix their signatures for the invitation letters.
Accordingly, the Preparatory Meeting was held in Beijing in May 4th - 7th. 1972 attended by 16 representatives of Associations namely. Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria and Vietnam. In compliance with the strong desire of the delegates, the Preparatory Meeting was actually turned into the Inaugural Meeting, which resulted in the formation of the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) on May 7th 1972. The meeting adopted the communiqué and the constitution and with it, elected a leading body for the Union. Subsequently the First Asian Championships and the 1st ATTU Congress were held in Beijing in September 1972 and it signified the beginning of ATTU in the table tennis world.

 Since then, the biennial championships and the congresses have been held successfully from 1972, beginning in Beijing (1972), Yokohama (1974), Pyongyang (1976). Kuala Lumpur (1978). Calcutta (1980). Jakarta (1982), Islamabad (1984), Shenzhen (1986). Niigata (1988), Kuala Lumpur (1990), New Delhi (1992), Tianjin (1994), Singapore (1996), Osaka (1998) and Qatar (2000).

 ATTU was officially recognized by International Table Tennis Federation as a continental body for Asia at its 33rd Congress in Calcutta. 1975. The ATTU Secretariat is located in Beijing where the Hon Secretary General resides. Since its inception in 1972, ATTU has played an important role of unifying its members and has strengthened its position in ITTF by actively providing able leadership and farsighted programs. The First Hon secretary General, the late Mr. Song Zhong had been instrumental in making ATTU a very strong table tennis organization while the leading organization of the ATTU had also made ATTU a well respected continental organization.  From the 16-founding members, it has grown to have 41 members including two associate members from Oceania.