FUJII Yoshitsugu, Managing Director (CEO) of Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU), commented on his participation in the Cabinet Office's "Male Leaders Coalition for Empowerment of Women" meeting.

The coalition was established in 2014 by nine male leaders to promote women's active participation in society. It was founded on the belief that the commitment of organizational leaders is essential for advancing women's participation. The coalition's activities are guided by its "Action Declaration." Today, the coalition includes approximately 320 members, comprising corporate executives, governors, and mayors of local governments.

Below, the Managing Director (CEO) FUJII outlines the goals of Japanese consumer co-ops in their pursuit of "a sustainable society that leaves no one behind."

Consumer co-ops are nationwide organizations built on the collective power of approximately 30 million members, each of whom subscribes paying share capitals, utilizes services, and contributes to the co-op's governance and decision-making.

Across Japan, consumer co-ops strive to support their members in leading fulfilling lives throughout their lifetimes, particularly in what is often called the "100-year life" era. They carry out a wide range of business operations and social initiatives within local communities.

Consumer co-op businesses include:

Social activities include:

Consumer co-ops collaborate with a variety of organizations to address local and everyday challenges, guided by the voices and needs of their members. Through these social activities, they actively work to find solutions and contribute to stronger, more supportive communities.

As the national federation of consumer co-ops, JCCU supports these local initiatives and promotes co-op activities to the wider society.

The principles and goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) align closely with the values and practices that consumer co-ops have long upheld. To reaffirm this alignment and accelerate progress toward the SDGs, JCCU adopted the "Co-op Action Plan for SDGs" as a special appeal at its 2018 General Assembly.

A key focus of this declaration is "Promoting gender equality and creating a society where diverse people can coexist." To achieve this goal, each consumer co-op must commit and actively advance initiatives, including women's empowerment. Furthermore, learning from successful practices in other organizations helps to further refine and strengthen these efforts. With this commitment, JCCU's leadership has been participating in the Cabinet Office's "Male Leaders Coalition for Empowerment of Women" since 2023.

JCCU's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) approach respects and values individual differences. By empowering each staff member to leverage their strengths, the organization seeks to generate synergy and create new value collectively. As part of its diversity management efforts, JCCU focuses on the following areas:

Transforming managerial awareness and fostering teamwork:

JCCU is committed to placing DE&I at the core of its efforts to achieve a sustainable society that leaves no one behind.  This is in alignment with the SDGs and the 2030 vision of Japanese consumer co-ops: "Creating the Future with the Power of Connections".

July 2025

Managing Director (CEO), FUJII Yoshitsugu