Our Features

Constant Mission over Ninety Years:
Transforming Itself to Meet the Needs of the Times.

　Since its establishment in 1923, The Norinchukin Bank has been managed under special legislation, initially, as the central bank for Japan’s industrial cooperatives, “Sangyo Kumiai”, and subsequently the Norinchukin Bank Act.
　It is a cooperative private financial institution with a clear mission to “contribute to the development of the nation’s economy by supporting the advancement of the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries by providing financial services for the members of the agricultural, fishery and forestry cooperative system.”
　Since its establishment through to the present day, we have continued to provide support for everyone engaged in the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries for over 90 years while constantly transforming itself in line with changes in the environment surrounding the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries.

1923～

Meeting the demand for funding in the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries before and after World War IILaunched as the central bank for Japan’s industrial cooperatives

Supporting producers with financial services, including loans, through cooperative organizations with the spirit of helping one another

　Producers involved in the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries faced a shortage of funds before and after World War II through to Japan’s era of high economic growth. The Norinchukin Bank, which was established in this environment in 1923, supplied funds to agricultural, fishery and forestry cooperatives in each area to provide loans to producers and met the demand for large-scale funding that individual cooperatives were incapable of servicing as the central body for agricultural, fishery and forestry cooperative organizations based on the “one for all, all for one” spirit of helping one another.

1970～

In light of the increase in JA Savings due to economic growth

Extending loans and investments into wider financial markets in addition to agriculture, fishery and forestry industries in response to the needs of the times

　Since the 1970s, when savings deposited by individual members and local users increased considerably, we have been meeting Japan’s strong demand for funds through loans and investments for companies related to the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries, the supply of funds to Japan’s short-term capital markets, and investment in Japanese government bonds. Moreover, from the latter half of the 1990s, we quickly moved into top gear on globally diversified investments in global financial markets. We have returned stable earnings to members even in a low interest rate environment.

2016～

Anticipating changes in the environment surrounding agriculture, fishery and forestry industriesWhat’s Next?

Our Present and Future
Striving to Resolve New Challenges with the Aim of Turning Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry Industries into Growth Industries

　We believe that there are three key factors in order for Japan’s agriculture, fishery and forestry industries, and agriculture in particular, to grow as industries. The first is strengthening the management capabilities of large-scale farmers and agricultural corporations leading the agriculture industry of the future. The second is maintaining the protective functions of all farmers, regardless of their scale, in communities, villages and the production base. The third is production that meets consumer needs more. We believe that addressing these factors is the key to turning the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries into growth industries.

Role as “Bridge” now expected

　The needs of consumers have changed significantly during the past 40 years. An “outsourcing of meals” has taken place, which includes eating out and prepared meals. There has been a major shift in the purchasers of fresh food from consumers who cook it in their kitchens to restaurants and processed food companies. These companies, which have responded to the voices of consumers so far, seek to be supplied domestically produced agriculture, fishery and forestry products with quality, volume and price that are stable year round. We believe that meeting the needs of these companies and delivering safe and secure domestic agriculture, fishery and forestry products that consumers demand will pave the way to turning the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries into growth industries. Therefore, based on the deep ties with producers in the agriculture, fishery and forestry industries around Japan and long-standing business relationships with Japan’s iconic food-related companies, both of which are our strengths, we will play a role as a coordinator to link the two together. In order to achieve this, rather than simply acting as a “bridge” between primary industry and secondary and tertiary industries, we will actively work on “building” the bridges ourselves. The Bank will connect producers to the diverse needs that arise out of the concept of incorporating market needs into a product and provide the solutions required to produce results. These initiatives are what is now expected of us.

Strengthening the management of future leaders and supporting the protectors of the production base

　Amid an ongoing decline in operators due to the aging of the population, a full-scale trend toward expansion in management scale and forming corporations has developed. In response to this trend in agriculture, we aim to become a financial institution that will be trusted even more by the large-scale farmers and agricultural corporations that will lead the agriculture industry of the future. With a concept of strengthening our foundation, we will work on management challenges faced by leaders in each development stage in a hands-on manner. Rather than limiting ourselves to making loans only, we will provide diverse solutions that will strengthen management capabilities to support long-term growth for leaders. Meanwhile, small-scale family farmers account for 90% of agricultural entities. We believe that in Japan which is mountainous and where each area has its own diverse characteristics, a variety of operators, regardless of their scale, play multi-faceted roles in addition to agricultural production. These roles include the maintenance of the production base of waterways and farmland as well as local villages and the preservation of the land and the environment, and we believe the continuation of these roles is a prerequisite for the sustainable development of agriculture. We will support this diverse variety of farmers with the aim of comprehensively turning agriculture into a growth industry.

What is The Norinchukin Bank?

• What kind of organization is a cooperative?
• What is The Norinchukin Bank's role in the cooperative system?