農協・生協の事業改変とこれからの農産物流通

抄録

This paper analyzes basic policies by national level organizations in Japan, both agricultural cooperatives and consumer cooperatives, illuminating the degeneration of cooperative businesses and this influence on agricultural-products distribution. Agricultural cooperatives in Japan are now strengthening their centralization through infringement of member autonomy. In cases where they have not been able to secure profits in their economic business, agricultural cooperatives have been forced to privatize such businesses as private companies. Consumer cooperatives in Japan are now advancing the restructuring of Japanese agriculture in order to smoothly import foreign agricultural products by establishing business federations in respective sectors. This is the same policy direction as the Japanese Government and the zaikai business groups. By providing a low price policy, consumer cooperatives intend to compete with supermarket capitals on the same terms as big businesses. The paper concludes by noting that it is very important to establish cooperative sovereignty in order to ensure Japanese food sovereignty.