Japanese ICMIF members Kokumin Kyosai co-op and CO-OP Kyosai are cooperatives which were established under the Consumer Cooperative Act, approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and engaged in cooperative insurance operations, working together to address community challenges towards safe and affluent society.
Kokumin Kyosai co-op offers automobile insurance, known as My Car Kyosai, to the member cooperatives of CO-OP Kyosai (126 cooperatives) and provide useful services for members’ peace of mind regarding their cars and driving. In addition, for every quote for My Car Kyosai cover for a member of CO-OP Kyosai, a collaborative, brightly coloured flag as carried by people crossing the street for increased visibility (known as a crosswalk flag) is donated. These crosswalk flags feature the official characters (mascots) of the two cooperatives, one character is known as Pit-Kun and the other is known as Co-suke.
Kokumin Kyosai co-op and CO-OP Kyosai collaborated on the 7-Year-Old Traffic Safety Project, an initiative aimed at protecting children from traffic accidents. In September 2023, they donated 13,050 crosswalk flags to 261 elementary schools across Japan, followed by a donation ceremony and an exchange of views on children’s traffic safety at one of the recipient schools, Shinagawa Municipal Nakanobu Elementary School, on 2 November 2023.
Through My Car Kyosai, cover and its associated safety promotion, Kokumin Kyosai co-op and CO-OP Kyosai say they are continuing their efforts towards a society where children do not fall victim to traffic accidents.
What is the 7-Year-Old Traffic Safety Project?
According to data from the Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis, seven-year-olds, whose range of activities expands as they enter elementary school, have a lower eye level than adults, and their attention span is not yet fully developed. Data also shows an extremely high number of casualties in pedestrian traffic accidents for this age group and this is why, Kokumin Kyosai co-op focuses its efforts on initiative to help prevent traffic accidents and protect children from this risk in the future.
