After 4 years of significant effects on our lives, the situation with COVID-19 has been downgraded to “common infectious disease” in 2023. While our lives and societies were moving onto post-COVID, Russian invasion of Ukraine has been protracted, disputes in Middle East still have been going on, and the inflation of daily necessities due to historical depreciation of the yen and bad harvests influenced by unsettled weathers have kept us consumers in unchanged difficult situation. Natural disasters and extreme weathers occurred inside and outside of our country, such as Seismic intensity of 7 occurred in Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa on New Year’s Day and the world average temperature reached a record high, reminded us that we cannot afford no further delay in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Amid the situation, Fukui Co-operative Society celebrated the 45th anniversary of the founding. We promoted coop products by campaigning “Nattoku! Coop Shohin” and “Ethical Consuming,” and we also supported our members’ lives by having cashback sales such as “Kurashi Oen Zenkoku Campaign. “In the delivery business, for the purpose of improvement in convenience, we revised OCR order form, improved functions of our delivery application “COOP No Takuhai” and our delivery order web site “e-Friends,” and refurbished Harue delivery station to a drive-through typed station. In the store business, we have renovated the Hearts Gakuen Store and increased “Attaka Supporters” (warm hearted staffs) to offer considerate services. In the life assistance business, we started child car seats rental service and implemented demonstration experiments of delivery system using a drone. In the welfare business, we opened a group home with care for dementia patients. In the renewable energy business, we started construction operations of Kuroko River hydraulic power plant and located self-consumption solar power generations at 6 more stores of ours. We stood by our members and local communities and provided all possible helps to ensure regional peace and stability by working on raising funds for damaged area by Noto earthquake, promoting “Cho Vola” (a little act of volunteer) and associated with administrations and organizations such as concluding the comprehensive agreement with Obama City. We thank all our members for their supports and cooperations.

Year 2024 is the fourth year of 10th Medium-Term Plan, and we are putting up a slogan “Establish the Consumers’ Co-operative with Compassion to People and Community.” In the delivery business, we continue enhancing convenience of our delivery application “COOP No Takuhai.” In the store business, we open new store “Hearts Kyoryu-ten” and reevaluate promotion of supplies. In the life assistance business, we research and study consulting window services. In the welfare business, we open a housing for the elderly with home-care services provided at Tsuruga Kirameki and prepare for the business integration with “Care Service I.” In the mutual aid business, we expand services according to members’ needs such as accepting applications of admission of prenatal. In the renewable energy business, we increase locating self-consumption solar power generations and prepare for the starting hydraulic power plant business. For the purpose of virtuous cycle in the organization, we will increase the wage level, and promote the appointment of women to managerial and executive positions by introducing a quota system and conducting study sessions and training for the purpose of career development for women. In members’ activities, increase the participants in young generations by holding “COOP No Kosodate Monitors” and “COOP No Circle. “We continue making the most of our resources and experiences to serve our members and society.

All of us will continue to strive “For the Happiness of our Members and for our Local Communities” in 2024.

Thank you,
Mikio Matsumiya
June, 2024