Japan-Brazil Cooperative Conference Held for the First Time（18th June 2021）

The Japan Co-operative Alliance (JCA) and “Organização das Cooperativas Brasileiras(OCB. Brazilian Co-operative Organization)” held together “the Japan-Brazil Cooperative Conference” celebrating the historic partnership between Japan and Brazil on 18th June JST.

We had greetings from Mr. Akira YAMADA (Japanese Ambassador to Brazil), Mr. Eduardo Paes SAVOIA (Brazilian Ambassador to Japan), Dr. Roberto RODRIGUEZ (former Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Brazil, former ICA President), and Dr. Americo UTUMI (former ICA Board Member from Brazil).

In the conference, JCA and OCB provided overviews of the cooperative movements of both countries.

Good Practices were reported by “INTEGRADA Agroindustrial Cooperative” established by the Japanese Brazilians and “Care Center HOMI”, which was established as a workers cooperative by care workers　including Brazilians and Peruvians who migrated to Japan.  

Mr. Tominori YAMASHITA (Managing Director of JA-Zenchu) talked　about a history of agricultural immigration from Japan to Brazil, which started in 1908, the collaboration between Cooperative Cotia and JA-Zenchu after the second world war, the contribution of Japanese immigrants to the Brazilian agriculture, and the cooperation between agricultural cooperatives in both countries.

150 people, including many cooperators in both countries, participated in the conference.

JCA believes that it was a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the historical relationship between the co-operatives in both countries, to learn about the current situation and activities of the co-operatives in Japan and Brazil, and accelerate communication between the two countries.