This paper examines the current problems and future challenges of work-life balance in a large Japanese consumer cooperative. Through interviews with female staff employees, problems in human resource management are identified and analyzed. The main conclusion is that while there is an effective support system for women and good human relations among the staff and managers, two problems need to be addressed: the lack of a concrete program for career advancement and continued employment(through child-rearing and other family changes), and management's failure to tap into the strong motivation that the younger staff feel as employees of a cooperative enterprise.
