History of JCCU and Consumer Co-ops Nationwide
Consumer Co-operative Movement in Japan
The first Japanese consumer co-op was established at the end of the 19th century on the model of the Rochdale Pioneers Co-operative. In the late 1940s, consumer co-ops spread across the country to deal with the poor livelihoods of citizens after the Second World War.
There was a time when consumer co-ops faced difficulties. However, they expanded their business into the areas of supermarkets and home delivery services to protect consumers from inflation and meeting their requirements regarding food safety during Japan's rapid economic growth in the 1960s and 70s.
Today, consumer co-ops have 28 million members nationwide with a total turnover of over three trillion yen.
A Brief Chronicle of the Modern Japanese Consumer Cooperative Movement [PDF:1.86MB]
1945
The Japanese Co-operative Alliance, the predecessor of JCCU, was established.
1948
Consumers' Livelihood Co-operative Society Law was enacted.
1951
Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU) was established.
1958
Japan Consumer Cooperative Business Union was established as a joint purchase business federation of consumer co-ops.
1960
JCCU launched its first CO·OP Brand Product, "CO·OP Butter".
1968
Consumer co-ops nationwide started joint buying group delivery.
1970~
Consumer co-ops grew rapidly. Joint buying business and supermarket-style stores expanded in number.
1976
JCCU established JCCU laboratory.
1984
JCCU launched its first insurance product as a CO·OP Brand Product.
1985
Membership of consumer co-ops exceeded 10 million.
1992
The 30th ICA General Assembly was held in Tokyo.
1995
JCCU and its member co-ops took action to support the victims of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
1997
"The Ideal of Japanese Consumer Co-ops Movement for the 21st Century" was adopted.
1998
Membership of consumer co-ops exceeded 20 million.
2007
Consumers' Livelihood Co-operative Society Law was amended, and Consumer Cooperatives Act was enforced the following year.
2008
Japan CO-OP Insurance Consumers' Co-operative Federation (JCIF) was established.
2010
Japanese Health and Welfare Co-operative Federation (Hew CO-OP Japan) became independent from JCCU.
2011
JCCU and its member co-ops took action to support the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
2012
International Year of Co-operatives
2015
Renewal of CO·OP Brand Products
2016
JCCU and its member co-ops took action to support the victims of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake.
Father of Japanese Co-operative Movement
Toyohiko Kagawa dedicated his whole life to the development of co-operative movements. He always stood on the front-line of social reform movements such as the movements for labors, farmers and universal elections.
He was always a pioneer. Kagawa was born in Kobe, in 1888. Studied in Tokushima junior-high school, Meiji Gakuin University, and Kobe Theological Seminary.
Then he continued his education in Princeton University, the USA, and Princeton Theological Seminary. In 1920, he established the Purchase Association Kyoeki-sha in Osaka.
In 1921, he established Kobe Consumer Cooperative and Nada Purchase Association (later they were merged and became Co-op Kobe) in Kobe. He also established many other co-ops such as the Kyoto Family Consumer Cooperative, Tokyo Students Consumer Cooperative and a medical service user cooperative, the predecessor of the Tokyo Medical Cooperative. In November 1945, just after the end of the war, he organized the Japanese Co-operative Alliance. In 1951, he founded Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union. Until his death in 1960 at the age of 72, he had served as the President.