This study examines the emerging role of worker cooperatives in farm management under Japan’s Workers Cooperative Act (2022), focusing on the Tsukuba Workers Cooperative, established in 2025 by three rice farmers in Tsukuba City. Drawing on field interviews and internal documents, this study explores the cooperative’s organizational characteristics, management practices, and institutional context. The findings suggest that the worker cooperative model may offer a framework for collective farm management emphasizing member participation, equality in decision-making, and non-profit-oriented principles. At the same time, the case reveals several institutional and practical constraints, including complex administrative procedures, financing challenges, and restrictions imposed by the Agricultural Land Act. Rather than presenting definitive evidence, this study positions the Tsukuba case as an initial empirical reference for discussing the potential and limitations of worker cooperatives in the agricultural sector. Further comparative and longitudinal research will be needed to assess their long-term sustainability and broader applicability.
