The National Federation of Workers and Consumers Kyosai Cooperatives (Kokumin Kyosai Co-op) is a Japanese insurance cooperative organisation (Kyosai means “Mutual aid using insurance based on the cooperative movement”).
Established in 1957, the Kokumin Kyosai Co-op offers life, fire, natural disaster and automobile insurance products as well as group life insurance and pension plans. It operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Consumers’ Livelihood Co-operative Society Law. In 2018, the organisation had a gross written premium of JPY 572.1 billion.
Kokumin Kyosai Co-op has three areas of community support:
- Disaster prevention and mitigation projects;
- Environmental conservation activities;
- Projects to support children’s health and wellbeing.
Kokumin Kyosai Co-op has been holding loss prevention, awareness raising events named “Bosai Café” (Bosai means “Loss and risk prevention”), for its policyholders and the local community for more than a decade. The intent is to improve awareness of disaster risk reduction and mitigation through various innovative study programmes such as stage performances, scientific experiment shows and panel exhibitions. These Bosai Café events provide children and their parents with good opportunities to discuss how they can prepare for disasters.
Social capital, meaning the institutions and norms in social relationships that shape the quality and quantity of social interactions, has proven an important characteristic in helping communities in all phases of disaster management.
In this regard, Kokumin Kyosai Co-op initiated an advocacy campaign to encourage people to recognise the necessity of mutual help in society. The situation surrounding modern citizens has been more and more harsh with the accompanying economic slowdown and uncertainty and instability on various aspects, in the period of which, mutual help and support among people must become more important.
As a cooperative entity, Kokumin Kyosai Co-op launched a campaign called “Enjoy TASUKEAI” (Tasukeai means “Mutual help”) to encourage people to try helping others such as their neighbours, colleagues and sometime even strangers. The organisation held a special discussion event involving young people; launched large-scale advocacy advertisements in public spaces and on the internet; and distributed leaflets which included tips and real experience stories related to mutual help collected from members.
