Miyagi co-op and PIAZZA (Piazza) Co., Ltd. Tokyo, have started collaboration by utilizing SNS with the aim of contributing to the revitalization of local communities in Tohoku region.

Alongside with the cooperation and as the first step, both parties agreed to officially launch SNS application under the name "PIAZZA" which was commissioned on October 27 in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture. The regional SNS "PIAZZA"will allow people living in the area to register, and to send and exchange information safely, securely and easily. The collaboration also extends child rearing support to Miyagi Co-op operated 'Child-raising Hiroba', which is a voluntary circle activity running salon for parents and children to promote community linkages by children’s free activity and interchange as well as parents’ spontaneous mutual learning.

Since the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, the importance of connection with families and the communities as well as efforts to revive the stricken areas have been requested. Miyagi co-op which operates in this local community has taken those requests as problems to tackle. Recently, with the aim of further strengthening the reconstruction activities in the Tohoku region, Miyagi Co-op has been considering new measures for members and even for nonmembers through using smartphones and SNS.

Through this collaboration, by distributing information transmitted by Miyagi Co-op within "PIAZZA", information useful for daily life such as towns event information, sharing of shops and hospital information, "neighborhood playgrounds," "children's supplies," etc., could be delivered directly to local residents who use "PIAZZA". The registration is not limited to co-op members only and it would be useful for many parenting families. Also, by linking with the "Child-raising Hiroba" it is possible to make even more realistic connections with the child-rearing families in the local community thus contributing to the revitalization of the community.