About Us

The Japan Agricultural News first began publication in 1928 under the name of Market Report. It was an editorial organization of Japan Agricultural Cooperatives, but became JA’s wholly owned company in 2002.

For 85 years The Japan Agricultural News has been recognized as the only daily agricultural newspaper in Japan, and has provided comprehensive coverage of news on food and agriculture.

The core of our company’s business is the publication of the newspaper The Japan Agricultural News, the largest daily agricultural newspaper in Japan with a circulation of 400,000.

Other businesses of the company include Net Agri-Market Information which provides reports on agricultural markets and prices on the Internet, publication of frais, a magazine which offers information on farm stands run by JA members, issuing of Midori (Green), a PR brochure for consumers, consulting the public relations section of JA, sending delegations overseas and holding seminars.

Today we are facing various challenges, such as food safety being at stake, uncertainties over the future of the domestic agricultural industry, the global monopolization of food supply and environmental destruction. Our mission to build bridges between food and agriculture is becoming even more important in this time of insecurity and confusion.

We support the industries related to people’s lives and proceed together with workers of the industries. We walk hand in hand with all the people who are devoted to protecting food and agriculture, including those working for JA Group, agribusiness companies, government and local agencies, research institutions and nonprofit organizations.

To subscribe

The news posted on this website is only a part of the information provided by the newspaper The Japan Agricultural News (available in Japanese only).

If you are interested in subscribing, please check the guidance below.

For those living in Japan
Please fill out a subscription form (available in Japanese only) on the Japanese version of The Japan Agricultural News website.

Subscription fee: 2,623 yen per month (tax included)

Organizational Philosophy

3 management principles

1. The Japan Agricultural News shall report on the manifold roles and values of agriculture and farm villages, and shall work with different groups of people to contribute to creating a society of fairness and coexistence.
2. We shall support the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) Group members’ effort to stand on their own feet and help the JA group give full play to its ability as a whole, and shall endeavor to become a linchpin in strengthening ties among all the cooperative organizations.
3. All the employees of The Japan Agricultural News shall be committed to the high moral standard to uphold freedom of speech and expression, fulfill their social and cultural responsibilities and engage in newspaper publishing with fairness and decency.

4 missions

1. We strive to provide comprehensive information on food and agriculture.
2. We are committed to become the information center for the JA Group.
3. We resolve to continue improving our news coverage to better serve the needs of agricultural workers.
4. We are determined to deliver information to the public through various media.

Company Profile

（For the latest information, such as sales data, please go to the Japanese version website.）
Company name: THE JAPAN AGRICULTURAL NEWS Co., Ltd.
Established in March 20, 1928.

Office:
Headquarters: Tokyo
Branches: Sapporo (Hokkaido), Sendai (Miyagi), Tokyo, Nagoya (Aichi), Osaka (Osaka), Hiroshima (Hiroshima), Fukuoka (Fukuoka), Niigata (Niigata), Nagano (Nagano), Matsuyama (Ehime)

Main business connections
The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations
National Mutual Insurance Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives
Japan’s Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives
Norinchukin Bank (Agricultural and Forestry Central Bank)
JA group
Dentsu Inc.
Hakuhodo Inc.
Daiko Inc.
Asahi Advertising Inc.

Membership
Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (NSK), The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association
Japan Audit Bureau of Circulations
Japan Advertising Review Organization, Inc.（JARO）
Japan Advertising Federation
Tokyo Advertising Association
Advertising council Japan
Advertising review council
Japan Marketing Association
International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
Japan Joint Committee of Co-operatives (JJC)

Company History

1928	Empire Agricultural Association (the central agricultural administration organization) published The Market Report, the predecessor of The Japan Agricultural News.
1937	Changed the name of the newspaper to The Japan Agricultural News.
1945	The National Agricultural Association succeeded the publishing of The Japan agricultural News from the Empire Agricultural Association.
1948	National Press & Information Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives was established and succeeded the publishing of The Japan Agricultural News.
1949	Joined the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association.
1978	Daily publication launched.
1987	The Sunday edition started.
1988	Joined the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA).
1989	The news database service by “NIKKEI Telecom” started.
1991	10,000th issue published. Circulation reached 550,000.
1992	The federation was newly named “JA Shimbun-ren.”
1997	The 70th anniversary
2001	Website (Japanese version) started.
	Launched “Campaign 2001- Agriculture is The Life Industry” and won the “Agricultural Journalists Award” from The Japan Agricultural Journalists’ Association.
2002	The Japan Agricultural News Co., Ltd. established. Business transferred from JA Shimbun-ren.
	Launched “Campaign 2002 – Cultivating the dawning era: proposals for agricultural revitalization”. Won the “Agricultural Journalist Award” of The Japan Agricultural Journalists’ Association.
2003	The 75th anniversary
	Launched “the Another Staff”, the supporting group for the JA website.
	“Agri Photo Service” started.
2004	Launched “Campaign 2004 – The Exciting Food School.” Won the “Agricultural Journalist Award” of The Japan Agricultural Journalists’ Association.
	Founded “The Best product of the Village Award” to honor prominent processed food products produced by farmers.
2005	Published “frais”, a magazine offering information on JA farmers’ markets.
2008	The 80th anniversary
2009	Launched “Campaign 2009- Food Crises.” Won the “Agricultural Journalist Award” of The Japan Agricultural Journalists’ Association.
2010	Established a new Market Data System 2010 and won The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association Technology Prize. Established the vegetables-and-fruits market index “Nichi-Nou INDEX” (NOPIX). Manages the agricultural products market report site “Net Agri-Market”
2011	Launched “Campaign 2011-Villages at Stake: Action Against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.”
2013	Started English version website.