Category Archives: Cooperatives

【News】 Number of female officials in JA-Zenchu increased to 1,277 (Nov. 7, 2014)

  The number of female officials (directors, executive managers, and auditors) in the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operative (JA-Zenchu) increased to 1,277 as of July 31, 160 more than that of last year, the JA-Zenchu reported Thursday, Nov. 6, at the council meeting. This resulted from activities trying to follow the guideline of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) that promotes increase in the number of JA’s female officials like last year. It seems that the JA-Zenchu wants to take women’s power and pave the way for its consistent reform. This result was surveyed by JA-Zenchu and the National Council Agricultural Corporative Women’s Associations (JA Joseikyo). Among 699 … Continue reading

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【News】 Local protests rising over nuclear dump site in Miyagi (Nov. 5, 2014)

  Kozo Hikage Farmers of Kami, Miyagi Prefecture, are strongly protesting against the government’s plan to construct in the town a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste, including those collected from the disaster-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The Environment Ministry was scheduled to begin late last month a drilling survey at three locations in the prefecture including Kami, selected as candidate sites to store radioactive substances exceeding 8,000 becquerels per kilogram. But the surveying work was stalled in Kami amid demonstrations by residents. The ministry hopes to end the survey by the end of this month before snow starts falling, but prospects are unclear as farmers insist … Continue reading

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【Opinion】 Shinji Hatta ; Abolition of the Central Union’s auditing will deteriorate competitiveness (Nov. 4, 2014)

  <The auditing function of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu) has been one of the focal points of the arguments over the reform of the Agricultural Co-operatives (JA). Shinji Hatta, professor at Aoyama Gakuin University offered his view in his contribution to the Japan Agricultural News> The Japan Revitalization Strategy, which was revised on June 24, placed “shift into aggressive agriculture, forestry and fishery industries” as a key policy to improve competitiveness of the industries. In any industry, it is difficult to secure economic rationality and creative business operation unless independence as an economic entity and sound competition have been promoted, and the agricultural industry is no exception. … Continue reading

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【News】 Take fresh colors with you to enjoy anytime, anywhere and forever (Oct. 12, 2014)

  Kotaro Yamada – Dyeing clothes using gentians (Niimi-shi, Okayama Prefecture) – Farmers in Niimi-shi, Okayama Prefecture, are trying to convey the charm of their local specialty, gentians, by making gentian-dyed clothes their new local attraction. They color clothes using unmarketable gentians so that people can enjoy their colors anytime, anywhere and forever. The initiative was launched in 2012 by the Division of Flowers and Ornamental Plants of JA Ashin, an agricultural co-operative of Okayama Prefecture as a project to make use of unmarketable gentians, due to badly-shaped stems for example, particularly in pale purple and pink. The method they introduced is not something special. You put handpicked gentian petals into … Continue reading

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【News】 International Co-operative Alliance expresses “major concern” over Japan’s agricultural reform (Oct. 11, 2014)

  Hayato Niki – Quebec, Canada The International Co-operative Alliance issued a statement on Thursday, Oct. 9, criticizing the Japanese government’s move to dismantle agricultural co-ops as “counterproductive to the national economy” and violating the principles of co-operatives. The intended legislation “would diminish the services offered to the farmers and the rural areas,” it said. “In particular, the intention to transform some of the cooperative structures into stock companies through demutualization is an unsound process.” The statement was announced after the ICA board discussed Japan’s intended restructuring of agricultural co-ops on Monday, Oct. 6, in Quebec. According to the statement, the board “unanimously approved” the report by the ICA’s study … Continue reading

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