The Consumer Affairs Agency organizes "Consumer Support Achievement Award" every year to recognize the contribution of individuals, organizations and groups with outstanding achievement in consumer support activities and for defending, promoting and improving consumer interests.

The award prizes are in three categories namely, Prime Minister's Commendation Award, Minister of State for Special Mission Commendation Award and the Best Consumer Support Achievement Award.

This year 5 consumer co-ops (Hokkaido Consumers’ Co-operative Union, FCO･OP Consumer Co-operative, Co-op Aichi and Okayama Co-op) were among the prize winners in various categories.

Our previous news reported that Okayama Co-op had won the Best Consumer Support Achievement Award.

In this news, we proudly report that Hokkaido Consumers’ Co-operative Union and FCO･OP Consumer Co-operative also won this year's Minister of State for Special Mission Commendation Award.

The award ceremony for the two co-ops was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on May 28, 2018.

(L) State of Hokkaido Consumers’ Co-operative Union receiving the award / (R) State of FCO･OP Consumer Co-operative receiving the award

Hokkaido Consumers’ Co-operative Union had launched the "Study Committee for  LP Gas Problems".  The committee gathered data on actual condition of LP gas sales, performed analysis and questionnaire survey, lobbying to the government and various councils, and promoted activities leading to the improvement of LP gas business. In the questionnaire survey result, the statement that "It is important for the country and consumer organizations to build a cooperative system" was included, that was highly appreciated.

FCO･OP Consumer Co-operative, through its initiative to foster mutual understanding among "people who produce and people who eat", organized agricultural learning experience for co-op members, plans production site exchanges, dietary education, Household Account Book activities, and life planning activities by member advisors. Their wide variety of consumer education including financial education was highly appreciated.

A group photo of the winners