On February 13, the Palsystem Insurance Consumers' Co-operative Union and the Palsystem Consumers' Co-operative Union held a lecture meeting inviting Mr.Tako Masato, President of the Fukui Co-operative Society at the headquarters in Shinjuku, Tokyo, to discuss the future role of consumer co-ops in the local community and the society at large.

Japan's aging population rate has risen to 29.1% and it has entered the era of a "super-aged society". While it is difficult to stop the decline in both the working-age population and the birthrate, Palsystem has recognized the importance of informal services and is cooperating with the Palsystem Member Co-ops in expanding various service oriented initiatives. 

Informal services are informal supports by family, friends, local residents, volunteers, etc., not based on formal systems such as municipalities and specialized agencies, but on a non-systematic basis.

In the meeting 58 people including members who are in charge of community activities, directors and staff of Palsystem co-ops participated.

Mr. TAKO gave a lecture introducing Fukui Co-op's basic idea on its contribution to members and the local community as well as the initiatives and practices that aim to make the co-op a unique one that serves members for their entire lifetime.

Ms. UMEBARA Takako, President of Palsystem Yamanashi, at the opening remarks, said, "I have childhood memories that when I returned home from school an elderly woman in the neighborhood would be at home looking after my house and during funerals, everyone in the neighborhood would gather to see off the deceased. Now co-ops should provide such opportunities for exchanges and mutual help among co-op members which are almost missing in the society. I hope we can learn from the efforts of the Fukui Co-op."

 Developing co-op members for 'lifetime use of co-op'

Mr.Tako said, "Fukui Prefecture has been No. 1 for three consecutive years in the degree of Happiness " in Japan, based on objective indicators such as high education levels, good economic and employment environments, and ease of raising children. However, with the decline of the three-generation household system that supports this happiness, and with the increase of nuclear family structure, there is a growing need for nursing and child care support.

The Fukui Co-op is expected to become a business operator that can help solve these problems. It is important to increase the number of co-op members, but in the face of population decline, the challenge is to provide businesses and services that allow existing members to continue to use the services for their entire lifetime.

Fukui Co-op's specific initiatives are as follows.

① Fukui Co-op is creating a system that shares information of co-op members and the community.

② We are providing various services such as child-rearing support and supporting independent living of elderly members. Each co-op staff in charge of home delivery, stores, co-op insurance, welfare, etc. encourages members to use multifaceted services of the co-op.

Regarding childcare business, you may think that the private companies can take care of your child, if you are only leaving your child with them, however, co-op childcare provides child rearing families with the wisdom and ability to raise their children which has become difficult to pass down from generation to generation due to the nuclear family structure.

In the welfare business, we focus on the independence of care receivers rather than taking care of everything because we believe that co-op welfare is a mechanism of mutual help. 

Ms.FUJITA Junko, President of Palsystem Kanagawa Yume Co-op said, "Fukui Co-op is promoting businesses that suit the lifestyle of members. I think the co-op is reliable and friendly for its members. We must fulfill the role of co-ops as required by society and the local community like the Fukui Co-op."