著者

二平 章

出版者

日本協同組合学会

雑誌

協同組合研究 (ISSN:02861348)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.33, no.1, pp.9-14, 2013 (Released:2023-02-03)

著者

三浦 一浩

出版者

日本協同組合学会

雑誌

協同組合研究 (ISSN:02861348)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.35, no.1, pp.65-72, 2015 (Released:2023-02-03)

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Are there any energy cooperatives in Japan? Some studies show cooperatives play a significant role in the German energy transition. This paper attempts to reveal energy cooperatives also exist in Japan. This study addresses two cases. One is Sakae Gas Cooperative, a gas consumer cooperative in Niigata Prefecture. The other is Anbo Electric Cooperative, an electric cooperative in Yakushima- Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. Both are community-embedded and have a meaningful contribution to the local economy. From the two case studies, it is argued energy cooperatives also exist in Japan and have possibility to play some role in energy transition.

著者

三浦 一浩

出版者

日本協同組合学会

雑誌

協同組合研究 (ISSN:02861348)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.38, no.2, pp.45-52, 2018 (Released:2023-02-03)

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Even after the World War II, the electric power company did not take electricity supply in so- called remote areas, and the electric power business was widely done by agricultural cooperatives etc. in remote islands and mountainous areas of Japan. This study reveals, however, the electric power projects were also done by consumers’ co-ops in various places. In postwar Japan, there were at least more than 10 consumers’ electric co-ops and actually supplied electricity to local members. In this paper, we examine several cases closely, and clarify the significance of consumers’ electric co-ops in the Japanese cooperative history.

著者

石澤 香哉子

出版者

日本協同組合学会

雑誌

協同組合研究 (ISSN:02861348)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.41, no.2, pp.52-65, 2021 (Released:2023-02-03)

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Since the creation of the first workers cooperative in 1982, Japanese worker cooperatives have produced results in a wide range of fields, and research on worker cooperatives in Japan has developed, providing theoretical support for these efforts. This paper aims to clarify the current state of study of workers cooperatives in Japan and two problems left by previous research. The most significant recent achievement in the development of worker cooperatives was the passage of the Workers Cooperative Act, in December of 2020. The law, backed by the cooperative movement, adopted the concept of social economy in European countries which has promoted the value of Worker cooperatives. But the passage of the law presents two problems for research. One of it is that Japanese studies have overlooked the aspect of the worker cooperatives as self-managed firms. This has led to a gap in research themes both domestically and internationally. Another is that Japanese research has been based on the concept of “worker cooperatives” in Europe. However, this is not the most suitable concept to grasp the current status of the movement globally. For the future development of worker cooperative research, it is necessary to solve these two issues.