TOKYO, February 21, 2025 — The International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific [ICA-AP] regional office marked the official launch of the International Year of Cooperatives [IYC] 2025 with a prestigious event at the United Nations University in Tokyo.
The event, co-hosted by the ICA-AP, the IYC2025 Japan Committee, and the International Labour Organisation [ILO] Office for Japan, brought together 700 delegates [250 in person and 450 online], including various cooperative leaders, government representatives, cooperators, and youth participants to celebrate and reinforce the role of cooperatives in sustainable development.
Toru Yamano, Chairperson of the IYC2025 Japan Committee and President of ICA member JA-Zenchu, thanked everyone for being part of this event and recognising the significance of cooperatives in fostering sustainable development and social solidarity.
“In 2025, we seek the government’s continued support for cooperatives, including the realisation of a Diet resolution for the Promotion of Cooperatives,” said Yamano.
He highlighted the establishment of the IYC2025 Japan Committee in July 2024, outlining its mission to promote cooperative understanding, contribute to the SDGs, strengthen local and international partnerships, and address community challenges.
Yamano also underscored the committee’s efforts in lobbying the Diet and mobilising cooperatives across Japan to learn, practice, and communicate the cooperative model.
An inspiring video message from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the global importance of cooperatives in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] and solving complex global challenges.
The launch also featured addresses from distinguished government officials, including Keiichiro Tachibana, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, who read out the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s message and Hiroshi Moriyama, Chairperson of the Diet Members Caucus for Promotion of Cooperatives, both of whom reaffirmed the Japanese government’s commitment to cooperative development.
“The government is committed to building a ‘society that respects human resources,’ where all individuals are valued and can experience happiness, while also advancing ‘Regional Revitalisation 2.0’ to unlock the potential of our regions and create new opportunities,” said Tachibana.
He emphasised the need for building a ‘New Japan’ and the vital role of the cooperative spirit, ‘one for all, all for one’, as a driving force in the future.
Moriyama ensured every effort to gain full support from all Diet members and bring this Diet resolution to fruition.
He said, “In recent years, I have seen different types of cooperatives collaborating to address local challenges. This is a remarkable achievement”, and hoped that such mutual cooperation continues to grow.
Dr. Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance [ICA], and Dr. Chandrapal Singh Yadav, ICA-AP President, highlighted the crucial role of cooperatives in fostering inclusive economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region.
Guarco congratulated everyone on this regional kick-off and said, “We have the opportunity to connect cooperative experiences across territories, countries, and regions, strengthening the global integration of the cooperative movement,” he said. ”W must expand beyond our borders, welcoming workers, consumers, producers, and investors into a cooperative economy built on solidarity, inclusivity, and peace.”
Yadav reiterated his IYC-2025 message and said, “We must work with governments and relevant ministries to establish national coordination committees and officially launch IYC-2025.”
He called upon cooperators to create year-long program calendars to promote cooperative identity, highlight success stories, engage youth, empower women leaders, strengthen community ties, educate the public and policymakers, advocate for supportive policies, and demonstrate our contribution to the UN SDGs.
The event featured key presentations, including insights from Shinichi Takasaki, Director of the ILO Office for Japan, and Simel Esim, Programme Manager for Cooperative, Social and Solidarity Economy at ILO, on the growing impact of cooperatives in promoting decent work and social equity. Takasaki noted that cooperatives are a means of promoting social justice by promoting decent work and equal work opportunities.
Simel highlighted the growing role of cooperatives in tackling global challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and digital transformation. She emphasized that cooperatives are essential for sustainable development.
However, their full potential is yet to be realised in the mainstream. She called for greater collaboration between cooperatives, governments, and international organisations to ensure cooperatives remain at the center of global development efforts.
A significant highlight was the presentation of Activity Plans for IYC2025 from countries, including Iran and Malaysia and Ibaraki and Shimane prefectures in Japan, followed by youth-led discussions from cooperative representatives across the region. Youth speakers, like representatives from the National Federation of University Cooperative Associations [NFUCA] and the ICA-AP Committee on Youth Cooperation, emphasized the need to integrate young leaders into the cooperative movement.
The event also showcased diverse cooperative initiatives through short film presentations from organisations in Nepal, the Philippines, and many cooperatives in Japan, illustrating how cooperative models are successfully addressing socio-economic challenges at the grassroots level.
In a powerful concluding moment, Masahiro Higa, Secretary General of the IYC2025 Japan Committee, delivered a Call for Action, urging cooperative stakeholders to collaborate on advancing cooperative development throughout the year and beyond.
The event wrapped up with closing remarks from Ms. Chitose Arai, ICA-AP Board Member and Vice President of the Japanese Consumers’ Cooperative Union [JCCU], who expressed gratitude to all participants and reiterated the importance of collective action and cooperation among cooperatives in the region and globally.
The International Year of Cooperatives 2025 will continue to celebrate and promote the cooperative model throughout the year, emphasising its role in inclusive economic development, social equity, and sustainable solutions to global challenges.
Established in 1960 in New Delhi, ICA-AP is one of the four regional offices of the ICA. Representing 114 member organisations from 29 countries, ICA-AP unites, promotes, and develops cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific.
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