The working visit of the delegation headed by Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Bao, President of Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA) to Japan

From 4^th – 15^th November 2019, the delegation of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA) led by Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Bao, Secretary of the Communist Party of VCA system, President of the VCA and participants who are leaders of International Cooperation Dept., Administration Dept.. Policy – Cooperative Development Dept., the Central Economic – Technical Colleague, Cooperative Alliance of Vinh Phuc province and Cooperative Alliance of Dong Nai province having a mission in Japan and Taiwan (China).

The delegation worked with the Central Union of Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-Zenchu)

On 5/11, the delegation paid a working visit to Mr. Vu Hong Nam, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam and Mrs. Lam Thanh Phuong, Counselor Ambassador, Embassy of Vietnam in Japan.Two sides discuss on economic - political relation cooperation, trading – investment between Vietnam and Japan; research and exchange information on Japanese market, abilities of trade promotion, investment of cooperatives of Vietnam and Japan.Mrs. Lam Thanh Phuong, Counselor Ambassador of Vietnamese Embassy in Japan informed that Japan organizes Food-Expo every year. This is opportunity for two sides to introduce agricultural products; promote exchange of farmers: Vietnam can send farmers or agricultural experts to study and work in Japan (labor demand in Japan is very high), Vietnamese workers need to learn Japanese before coming to Japan.

The Delegation of Vietnam Cooperative Alliance works with Japan Cooperative Alliance (JCA)Continuously, the Delegation visited and worked with the leaders of Japan Cooperative Alliance (JCA)

The two sides exchanged about the policies and legal framework to support cooperative development in Japan; the role of the JCA in raising understanding and improving economic conditions for cooperative members and people in the community; experience in building and developing successful Japanese cooperative models; cooperating in training and capacity building of the staff of VCA system; promoting trade and investment cooperation for cooperative sector in Vietnam and Japan.

President Nguyen Ngoc Bao presented the VCA logo to Mr. Yutaka AOTAKA, General Director of JCA

At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Bao said that the delegation would like to learn experience of cooperative development of Japan; study Japanese value chains; promote trade - investment activities for cooperatives in Vietnam and Japan; exchange farmers and agricultural experts between VCA and JCA; VCA is willing to cooperate with cooperatives and enterprises that want to invest in Vietnam and work together in international cooperation activities. On the JCA side, Mr. Yutaka AOTAKA, General Director of JCA inform that Japan has not have a common Law for all kinds of cooperative and each kind of cooperative is governed by its own law; and up to half of Japan's population are members or founders of cooperatives.Cooperatives in Japan operate on 3 principles: who makes products? What products? Where? How? What information consumers know? All information is very transparent and clear, ensuring stable output for producers and ensuring product quality for consumers.

The delegation works with the Central Union of Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-Zenchu)

In the afternoon of the same day, the delegation worked with Mr. Toru Nakaya, President of the Central Union of Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-Zenchu) and officials of JA-Zenchu.The two sides exchanged and learned about the role of the JA-Zenchu in raising understanding and improving economic conditions for cooperative members and people; experience in building and successfully developing models of agricultural cooperatives and multi-functions cooperatives; cooperating in training and improving the capacity of the system of the staff of VCA system; promoting trade - investment cooperation between cooperatives in Vietnam and Japan.

The delegation works with leaders of General Department of Cooperatives - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF)

After that, the delegation worked with the leaders of the General Department of Cooperatives - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF). VCA and MAFF exchanged and learned about policies and legal framework to support cooperative development in Japan; the role of cooperative alliances and cooperative unions in raising awareness and improving economic conditions for cooperative members and people; experience building and successfully developing cooperative models in Japan; cooperation in training and capacity building for cooperatives of Vietnam; promoting trade and investment cooperation between cooperatives in Vietnam and Japan.