AOA Members’ Study Group Visit 2024 Tokyo

Welcome message

Zenkyoren, Kokumin Kyosai co-op, and CO-OP Kyosairen are honored to co-host the AOA Members’ Study Group Visit 2024 in Tokyo and are pleased to deliver our welcome message to AOA members.

In Japan, where we can feel a change of the four seasons distinctly, May is said to be the most pleasant season with fresh green foliage, mild weather, and low humidity. We are delighted to have an opportunaty to welcome you in this wonderful season.

We, three Kyosai(cooperative insurance) organizations have different types of members such as farmers, laborers, and consumers. Although we have shown our organization’s initiatives at ICMIF conferences and AOA seminars in the past, we believe that this on-site visit will deepen your understanding more and more. You can learn overall situation of Kyosai business in Japan and similalities and differences among the three organizations by actually visiting them in this occasion.

In recent years, ICMIF conferences and AOA seminars have picked up varieties of topics that the members have emphasized in their strategies. In this time, we would like to explain some of our initiatives such as “Response to Disasters,” “SDGs,” and “Sales Approach to Youth”.

We hope that you will take this opportunity to visit Japan as your business catalyst.

Zenkyoren　　　 Kokumin Kyosai co-op　 CO-OPKyosai

President　　　　　　 President　　　　　　 President

Fumio Yanai　　　　 Shuichi Uchikoshi 　　 Toshiaki Wada

１．Dates : 22(Wed) – 23(Thu) May 2024　

２．Place : Tokyo, Chiba

３．Hosts to be visited

Zenkyoren
Kokumin Kyosai co-op
CO-OP Kyosai

　　Click here for each profile of the hosts.

《Cooperating organization》　JCIA

４．Objective & Contents(expected)

Deepen your understanding of Kyosai (cooperative insurance) business in Japan as well as each characteristics of the host organizations.
Zenkyoren will explain “Preparedness and Response to Natural Disasters and Agricultural work accidents” through their experience and an on-site visit.
Kokumin Kyosai co-op will explain their latest activities for “SDGs”.
CO-OP Kyosai will explain “Initiatives of CO-OP Kyosai, which is revising its products based on members’ voices, and efforts to expand the circle of mutual aid among university students.” by visiting the University of Tokyo CO-OP, a member Co-op of CO-OP Kyosai.

５．Itinerary(tentative)

[Day One] 22(Wed) May
JCIA／Zenkyoren

Time	Program outline	Organization in charge
8:30	Gathering at JA Kyosai Building Please contact the staff holding the AOA placard upon arrival. Address：2-7-9, Hirakawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8630, Japan Tel:03-5215-9107　Closest Station: Nagatacho Subway Station　*Map*
8:40	Transfer by large bus to ja Kyosai Makuhari Training Center　🚌🚌🚌
10:00	Opening Remarks	AOA Mr.Yanai
10:15	Explaining outline of Japan Cooperative Insurance Business	JCIA
10:55	a) Business strategy and detailed initiatives of Zenkyoren 　～Importance of natural disaster response～ Kiyama, Senior Managing Director, who led the team as a General Manager for loss adjustments at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 will speak about the importance of disaster response in Zenkyoren’s business and its strategy as well as recent development related to disaster response using information technology.	Zenkyoren
11:35	Lunch 🍽　（AOA Board of Directors meeting to be held by 12:00 p.m.）	Zenkyoren
12:30 ～ 16:40	b) Zenkyoren’s Specific Iniciative ~Contribution to regions and Agriculture~ The efforts of Zenkyoren, with its philosophy of “One for all and all for one,” has been working to create a community where members and local people can live prosperous and secure lives through a variety of initiatives in addition to providing security.	Zenkyoren
	● Visiting the Makuhari Training Center, a place of training employees and affiliated people especially for underwritings and claims for Zenkyoren covering “People, Homes, and Vehicles” in order to understand Zenkyoren’s focus on human resources development.
	● Learning Zenkyoren’s strategy to ensure solvency in preparation for large-scale natural disasters and the method for prompt and appropriate claims payments.
	● Experiencing Disaster Preparedness Class using “Jishin The Vuton” (a class for both children and adults understanding the importance of preparedness by experiencing simulated earthquake shakings through a chair-type portable virtual reality (VR) equipment), which is utilized as one of our activities to reduce earthquake risk, so as for participants to understand the key point of Zenkyoren’s disaster preparedness initiative.
	● Learning an overview of Zenkyoren’s measures against agricultural risk as an organization of agricultural cooperatives and experiencing simulated agricultural work accident utilizing virtual reality (VR) equipment as one of the training programs. Also letting participants understand that these activities contribute to sustainable agriculture and are linked to solving social problems such as food, climate, and environment.　*“Agricultural Accident Experience VR” won the 2020 Good Design Award*
	Closing Day 1
17:00	Transfer by large bus to JA Kyosai Building　🚌🚌🚌
18:00 ～ 20:00	Welcome Dinner at JA Kyosai Building　💐🍷🍺	3 hosts

[Day Two] 23(Thu) May

Kokumin Kyosai co-op ／CO-OP Kyosai

Time	Program outline	Organization in charge
9:00	Two available options. 【Option 1】 Gathering at JA Kyosai Building and moving to Kokumin Kyosai co-op building by a hired bus, 【Option 2】 Gathering at Kokumin Kyosai co-op building directly. If you choose Option 1, please gather at the ja Kyosai Building by 9:00 a.m. If you choose option 2, please gather in front of the main entrance of the Kokumin Kyosai Coop Building by 9:30 a.m. Please contact a staff member at the Kokumin Kyosai Coop or AOA for assistance. Address：2-12-10, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8571 Tel:03-5215-9107　Closest Station: Sinjuku Subway Station　*MAP*
9:10	Transfer by large bus to Kokumin Kyosai co-op Building　🚌🚌🚌
9:35	Greetings from Executive Director, Mr Takahashi	Kokumin Kyosai co-op
9:40	Organizational Briefing	young leader
10:35	【Program Overview】 a) “Response to Past Large-scale Disasters “ Highlighting the Niigata Great Fire (realizing payouts exceeding the collected mutual aid premiums), the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake (enactment of the Act Concerning Support for Reconstructing Livelihood of Disaster Victims), and the Great East Japan Earthquake. b) “Fire and Natural Disaster policy “ Introducing the distinctive features of coverage for houses, dedicated products for Eco friendly Houses, donations to environmental organizations, and on-site investigation activities.	Kokumin Kyosai co-op Mr.Takahashi
12:00	Transfer by large bus to Komaba Campus, The University of Tokyo　🚌🚌🚌
12:30	Greetings from Mr. Ishida, President of Todai Co-op a)Initiatives of Todai Co-op b)The University Co-op Scholarship Foundation(Tasukeai Scholarship)	CO-OP Kyosai
13:00	Lunch 🍽	CO-OP Kyosai
14:00 ～ 16:20	【Theme】Initiatives of CO-OP Kyosai, which is revising its products based on members’ voices, and efforts to expand the circle of mutual aid among university students. 【Outline】CO-OP Kyosai will introduce the history of CO-OP Kyosai, which has been revising its products based on members’ voices. Also, will visit the the University of Tokyo CO-OP (hereafter “UT Co-op”), a member coop of the CO-OP Kyosai and located at the University of Tokyo, Japan’s highest academic institution, and introduce its approach to mutual aid at the University Co-op. a) Outline of CO-OP Kyosai　（General Manager, Mr. Asada） We will introduce the history of CO-OP Kyosai, which has expanded to 9 million members through products’ revision based on 300,000 to 400,000 comments from members annually, with specific examples below. We will also explain the structure of our member co-ops nationwide, our initiatives for young people, and an overview of the Student Comprehensive Mutual Aid for sutudents, which aims to provide uninterrupted lifetime coverage for everyone from children to the elderly.	CO-OP Kyosai
	b) Report on the efforts by university students for comprehensive mutual aid for students　（Director of Mr.Nakano, National Federation of University Life Associations, Inc.）　（Chairman Mr.Morita, The University of Tokyo Co-op） In addition to an overview of the University Co-op, there will be a report by students active in the University Co-op on “Kyosai (=Mutual Insurance) that Students Promote and Help Themselves”.
	Greetings from Mr. Wada, Chairman of the Board
	AOA members share their impressions	AOA
	● Photo Session	CO-OP Kyosai
	●Tour of the University of Tokyo Co-op You will visit the facilities of the University of Tokyo Co-op. You can also shop for snacks, UT goods, etc. at the Co-op stor
16:30	Transfer by large bus to JA Kyosai Building　🚌🚌🚌

６．Participants

A list of participants will be sent to participants at a later date.

７．Registration fee

The registration fee is free of charge for AOA members.

８．Cost burden

Participants will bear the following expenses.

Airfare to Japan as well as other transportation expenses in Japan (excluding host-organizing tours)
Accommodation expenses
Other personal expenses during the stay in Japan

９．Registration

Application has been closed.

10. Accommodation

Please make a hotel reservation by yourself in reference of the gathering place below. If you have questions regarding neighboring hotels to the gathering place, please ask us.

11．Language

Explanations will be given in Japanese or English. Interpretation (Japanese/English whispering or consecutive interpretation) will be provided.

12．Visa support

If an entry Visa to Japan is needed, please let AOA secretariat know by email(secretariat@icmifasiaoceania.coop) and/or Registration Form as above.

13．Airfare subsidy

AOA will provide an airfare subsidy to member organizations that meet the designated conditions. Details are here. If member organizations would like to apply for the subsidy, please let AOA secretariat know by email(secretariat@icmifasiaoceania.coop).

14．Dress code

Smart casual (No tie required)

15. Information on Tokyo

Please refer to here about general information on Tokyo.

・General: https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/english/index.html

16. Contact

If you have any questions, please contact to Shoji Osaka : secretariat@icmifasiaoceania.coop

Activity Plans