1.
cooperative; cooperative association; co-op
An organization formed by individuals or businesses who pool resources and share profits for mutual benefit. Common in agriculture, fishing, consumer goods, and credit unions in Japan.
The fishing cooperative in this region has a history of over a hundred years.
Composed of 協同 (cooperation, working together) and 組合 (union, association). Japan has a highly developed cooperative system, with organizations like JA (農協, agricultural cooperatives) playing a central role in rural economies.
Usage
Often abbreviated in compound names: 農業協同組合 becomes 農協 (JA), 漁業協同組合 becomes 漁協, and 生活協同組合 becomes 生協 (co-op). These abbreviations are far more common in everyday speech.
Common collocations
- 農業協同組合: agricultural cooperative (JA)
- 漁業協同組合: fishing cooperative
- 生活協同組合: consumer cooperative (co-op)
- 協同組合に加入する: to join a cooperative
Similar words
- 組合: union, association — the general term for any organized group; cooperatives are one type
- 農協: agricultural cooperative (JA) — the most well-known type of cooperative in Japan
- 生協: consumer co-op — provides food, goods, and services to member households
- 労働組合: labor union — a union of workers for collective bargaining, distinct from a cooperative
Related Words
Compare:
農協 (agricultural cooperative)
Compare:
生協 (consumer co-op)
Compare:
労働組合 (labor union)