A happy new year to you all.

In 2020, the consumer co-ops nationwide promoted a system that enables the co-op members to support each other and connect to society in cooperation with local governments and other organizations.

On the occurrence of the 2020 Kyushu floods, we were engaged in volunteer activities with the co-ops in the disaster-stricken area for the reconstruction, and co-ops in other areas also supported by providing relief supplies and raising donations. The amount of donation reached 815 million yen. Furthermore, we carried out activities to support the families and university students in need and the medical professionals in a tight situation including the provision of food and other necessary supplies, support for subsidies, collecting contributions, etc.

The co-ops nationwide have participated in 'The Hibakusha Appeal' for over four years which the atomic bomb survivors started wishing for the abolition of nuclear weapons. 2,860,899 signatures were collected and submitted to the United Nations General Assembly in October 2020. Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is planned to come into effect in January 2021 and NPT Review Conference that has been postponed is expected to be held in August. With this trend, we will steadily go forward working on the report of the real fact of war and atomic bomb disaster and on peace and abolition of nuclear weapons cooperating widely with various organizations.

The pandemic of COVID-19 has changed our life and posed new challenges to the co-ops' businesses and activities. While the situations of employment and income have become more severe, it seems that the problems of poverty, widening financial disparity among people, social isolation, and social division are getting more serious. Therefore, the role of co-operatives that are based on the cooperation of people in local communities has been more and more significant. 

In 2021, we will strengthen the cooperation and solidarity of co-operatives in addition to the connection with the local administrations and organizations to get over the COVID-19 calamity and to realize "Local communities where people can live with a sense of security," which is the core of the 2030 Vision of Japanese Consumer Co-ops.

I wish you a fruitful new year filled with happiness.

January 2021

HONDA Eiichi

President, Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union