ICA-AP Regional Board Members Visit Japanese Consumer Co-operative
2025.03.24
On February 18, 2025, the International Co-operative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) Regional Board Meeting was held in Tokyo, Japan, as part of the IYC 2025 Kick-off Event, which took place on February 19, 2025. The meeting brought together 31 participants from 11 countries, including Japan. Following the meeting, participants visited the Co-op Mirai Katsushika Shiratori store to gain a first-hand insight into its operations.
The ICA-AP Regional Board is one of four regional boards of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), alongside those in Africa, the Americas, and Europe. It consists of 12 board members from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Representing Japan on the board is Ms. ARAI Chitose, Vice President of the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU).
This was the first ICA-AP Regional Board meeting in Japan in 13 years, since the last one held in 2012. Discussions at the meeting covered various topics, including the initiatives for the International Year of Co-operatives (IYC) 2025 and the future direction of co-operative activities in the Asia-Pacific region.
The following day, after the Regional Board meeting, the IYC 2025 Kick-off Event was held at the United Nations University in Tokyo.
ICA-AP Regional Board Members
After the meeting, 24 participants from 7 countries, including regional board members and attendees of the IYC 2025 Kick-off event, visited Co-op Mirai's Katsushika Shiratori store. The purpose of the visit was to enhance their understanding of the business operations of Japanese consumer co-operatives.
In his welcome address, Co-op Mirai Chairperson, Mr. Shin Kumazaki, emphasized the significance of this year as the International Year of Co-operatives and encouraged participants to explore and learn more about the Japanese consumer co-operative model. In response, ICA-AP President Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav (India) expressed his admiration for Co-op Mirai's initiatives and highlighted the importance of promoting international cooperation through shared learning experiences.
Welcome Speech by Co-op Mirai Chairperson Mr. Shin Kumazaki Remarks from ICA-AP President Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav
Participants receiving an explanation on the Co-op Mirai Katsushika Shiratori store operations
The visiting participants expressed their appreciation for Co-op Mirai and shared their impressions, noting that the co-operative takes concrete actions to support member families, strengthen the community, and improve daily life.
