Category Archives: Cooperatives

TOKYO, July 16 — Cooperatives Japan’ homepage has added a new page which explains the idea and practice of organizing of common interests in cooperatives. The concept of cooperatives has been in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2012. The aim is “to increase awareness about co-operatives and to promote their growth,” the organization said on its site. The history of cooperatives can be traced back to 1840s in Germany and more than 900,000 cooperatives with some 800 million members are active in more than 100 countries, according to the Bonn-based International Raiffeisen Union (IRU). The form of cooperatives ranges from banks or credit unions, grocery stores, known as co-op, … Continue reading →

TOKYO, July 6 — Japan’s Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, known as JA- ZENCHU, has appointed Toru Nakaya, 67, as the next chairman, at a time when the country’s most powerful farm group is undergoing drastic reforms. JA-ZENCHU has been a prime target of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s structural changes to prop up a fragile economy. In his election, Nakaya won widespread support – 152 out of 240 valid votes from JA-ZENCHU representatives across the country – while his sole contender in the race, Masatoshi Sudo, 69, received 88 votes. This is Nakaya’s second challenge for JA-ZENCHU’s top post after the 2015 election. Nakaya is currently the chairman of JA-ZENCHU … Continue reading →