ABSTRACT
Mikkabi-cho is a town of 16,000 people located in the western Shizuoka prefecture of Japan. It is surrounded by mountains on one side and a vast lake on the other. The town is famous as a scenic destination for tourists and also prides itself on a 200-year tradition of production of local specialties. The membership of cooperative association includes 2,800 families. The cooperative is involved in various business activities for the benefit of its members. The cooperative sponsors five main activities for the benefit of its members: cooperative financial services, credit union, cooperative stores, sales and marketing, and planning and consulting. The cooperative also formed new committees for promoting proposals and giving them written reviews. The committees encourage members to participate in management activities, emphasizing creativity and ingenuity. Proposals create motivation to participate in management, bring new energy to the workplace, and encourage study and self-improvement.
