The office bearers of the ICA-AP Committee on Youth Cooperation (ICYC) recently visited Japan, gaining valuable insights into the country’s cooperative ecosystem and the pivotal role youth play in driving sustainable cooperative enterprises. From engaging with university cooperatives to exploring worker-led initiatives, the visit reinforced the importance of youth participation in the cooperative movement.

A Landmark Event: Launching the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2025

A key highlight of the trip was the grand launch of the IYC 2025, co-hosted by the ICA-AP, the IYC 2025 Japan Committee, and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Japan at the United Nations University of Japan. Youth representatives from the National Federation of University Co-operative Associations (NFUCA) and ICYC, through their presentations, underscored the importance of integrating young leaders into the cooperative movement. A full report of the launch event can be read here.

The IYC 2025 will continue to celebrate and promote the cooperative model throughout the year, emphasizing its role in inclusive economic development, social equity, and sustainable solutions to global challenges.

ICYC’s Visit to University Cooperatives: A Model for Youth Engagement

ICYC, along with delegates from ANGKASA, visited the Tokyo Metropolitan University, and we had the opportunity to explore the Student Cooperative and University Cooperative Store, which are entirely managed by students.  Mr. Ichiro Nakamori, Managing Director & CEO of NFUCA, gave an overview of the University and provided a brief on the student cooperative committee. NFUCA has around 213 members, out of which 205 are university coops, five are intercollege coops, two are business associations, and one is a federation (Co-op Kyosai). There are 1,565,091 individual members, out of which 85% are students.

The University Coop has programs created by students to support student life on the campus, including:

1. Dietary Support: Promotes healthy eating habits with a comprehensive food menu. They organise various fairs while focusing on nutrition education to encourage better eating habits.
2. Living Alone and Daily Life Support: This program is dedicated to assisting students in finding accommodations upon enrolment and supporting them throughout their academic journey.
3. Educational Research and Study Support: It offers a diverse array of products and services aimed at supporting the educational and research endeavours of faculty members and researchers.
4. Learning and Growth Support: It provides various courses at the university, including how to use a computer, driver’s license acquisition, language training, job hunting support, and preparation for civil service examinations.
5. Healthy and Safe Living Support: These include initiatives to prevent auto accidents and alcohol-related incidents, conducting health checks, and providing dietary and lifestyle counselling.

Visit to Japan Cooperative Alliance (JCA)

We visited the Japan Cooperative Alliance (JCA) to understand the overall status of cooperatives in Japan. Mr. Kenki Maeda, General Manager, gave a brief on the structure of JCA and its work.

JCA is an apex body of cooperatives, established in April 2018 with a mission to function for the development of the cooperative sector, which contributes to creating better life and work in sustainable local communities. Mr. Maeda provided insights into Japan’s inter-cooperative collaborations, spanning multiple sectors, including Agriculture, Credit Unions, Fisheries & Forestry, Consumer Cooperatives, and Worker Cooperatives. JCA currently has around 624 member organisations as their members who are categorized in three levels – National Level Federations, Prefectural Agriculture Coops, and Primary Cooperatives.

JCA’s main objective is to create better life and work in sustainable local communities which works towards promoting Inter-Cooperative collaborations, Advocacy, Policy Proposals, and Education & Research.

Visit to Japan Workers’ Cooperative Union:

At the Japan Workers’ Cooperative Union (JWCU), we explored the transformative role of worker cooperatives in supporting marginalized communities. Mr. Osamu Nakano,  Secretary General, JWCU and Chairperson of CICOPA-AP, Vice President of CICOPA, shared insights on CICOPA-AP and JWCU.

CICOPA is an international organization of cooperatives in industrial and service sectors, established in 1947. The principal objective of cooperatives in the industrial and service sectors is to serve members’ employment and business activities. It has three regional organizations: CECOP (CICOPA Europe) with 25 organizations in 14 countries, CICOPA Americas with 11 organizations in 9 countries, CICOPA Asia Pacific with 12 organizations in 9 countries, and CICOPA Africa with 3 organizations in 3 countries.

Mr. Nakano also gave a brief on the JWCU, a national federation of worker cooperatives in Japan since 1979 with 45 member organizations. They have 450 business centers with 17,000 workers and a 37 billion Yen turnover.

There was a presentation on the Central Workers’ Cooperative (CWC), the biggest worker coop in Japan, established in 1987. Currently, CWC has 10,000 workers, with 70% women workers, and their main objective is to provide childcare, elderly care, care for people with disabilities, operation of public facilities, cleaning service, logistic service, community farming and forest management, and renewable energy business.

We also came across Creators 440Hz, a cooperative formed by young creatives in film-making, graphic design, and website development, which demonstrated the power of youth-led cooperative entrepreneurship. Their success highlights the potential for small, youth-driven cooperatives to thrive when supported by strong cooperative networks.

This visit was not just about learning—it was about taking action. During our trip, ICYC successfully:

• Secured NFUCA and JWCU’s commitment to nominate youth representatives to ICYC, expanding our youth network.
• Strengthened partnerships with key cooperative organizations in Japan. 
• Engaged in meaningful discussions on youth leadership, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.

As we continue strengthening youth engagement within the cooperative movement, this visit reaffirmed the need for greater awareness, education, and leadership opportunities for young cooperators. By expanding networks and fostering collaboration, we can ensure a thriving future for youth in cooperatives across the Asia-Pacific region. Check out the teaser on ICYC’s visit to Japan here.  Stay tuned for more updates on ICYC’s initiatives and partnerships!