About The Norinchukin Bank
The Bank is a private financial institution with Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA), Japan Fishery Cooperatives (JF), Japan Forest Owners’ Cooperatives (JForest), and other cooperatives of farmers, fishermen, and foresters as its members. We aim to facilitate the smooth functioning of financial services for these cooperatives, to contribute to the development of the agriculture, fishery, and forestry (AFF) industries and fulfill a major role in society as a contributor to the development of the national economy, as per Article 1 of the Norinchukin Bank Act.
About The Cooperative System
Cooperatives are organizations established under the slogan "one for all and all for one" that are based in communities and play a role in stabilizing people's lives by encouraging mutual aid between people and revitalizing communities. Their functions are performed in a wide range of fields that are concerned with people's livelihoods.
In addition to the cooperative banking business, which involves accepting deposits and making loans, we, the members of agricultural, fishery and forestry cooperatives, engage in a number of other business activities. Among these are providing "guidance" for business and day-to-day matters for farmers, fishermen, and foresters; "economic support" through sale of agricultural, fishery and forestry products as well as procurement of production materials; and "mutual insurance" services for providing mutual aid.
Cooperative members comprise JA, JF, and JForest at the municipal level that perform wide range of activities as described above, and their respective federations and unions at the prefectural level, as well as those at the national level, including the Bank.
This nationwide structure from the municipal level to the national level is generally known as “The Cooperative System”.
The Structure of the Cooperative System
Role of The Norinchukin Bank in the Cooperative System
The Bank’s funds are derived from member deposits (majority of them are made from savings held by individual members of JA and JF) and raised in the market. These financial resources are then lent to farmers, fishermen, and foresters, as well as companies related to AFF industries. In addition to such activities, the Bank efficiently manages its funds through investments in securities and other financial instruments. The Bank strives to stably return profits to its members and provides various other financial and non-financial services.
JA Bank and JF Marine Bank: Cooperative Banking Business
The framework and functions of the banking businesses of JA and JF at the municipal level, JA Shinnoren and JF Shingyoren at the prefectural level, and The Norinchukin Bank at the national level are collectively referred to as the Cooperative Banking Business, which operates JA Bank and JF Marine Bank, each effectively functions as a single financial institution.
To ensure that individual members and users have even stronger confidence in the cooperative banking business and make increased use of their services, under the Enhancement and Restructuring Act*, JA Bank and JF Marine Bank have respectively formulated the JA Bank Basic Policy and the JF Marine Bank Basic Policy, with the unanimous approval of their respective members.
These basic policies chart a basic course toward bankruptcy prevention and unified business operations and define the roles and responsibilities of these banks’ members.
* Act on Enhancement and Restructuring of Credit Business Conducted by The Norinchukin Bank and Specified Agricultural and Fishery Cooperative Savings Insurance Cooperation, etc.
JA Bank ：Organization Overview (as of April 1, 2025)
*1 The number of JAs (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives), 497, is the number of JA Bank members
JF Marine Bank：Organization Overview (as of April 1, 2025)
*2 The number of JFs, 71, is the number of JF Marine Bank members
Scale of JA Bank and JF Marine Bank
The following savings, loans, number of branches, and other data describe the scale of JA Bank and JF Marine Bank.
JA Bank meets the funding needs of farmers in the form of agriculture-related loans, with JA, JA Shinnoren, and The Norinchukin Bank fulfilling each roles. To date, loan officers from each of JA, JA Shinnoren, and The Norinchukin Bank have proactively visited farmers directly, thereby addressing a wide range of financing requirements. However, recently, given persistently high production material costs associated with worldwide inflation and the weak yen, and other threats to farmers’ business, farmers’ funding demand decreased. As a result, JA Bank’s newly executed agricultural loan amount also decreased from last year.
