Tokyo Hosts First International Cooperative Festival Highlighting Sustainability
Tokyo, Sunday, 6 July 2025.
On July 6, 2025, Tokyo’s inaugural International Cooperative Festival attracted over 4,000 attendees, emphasizing cooperation, sustainable agriculture, and Green Certification amid the International Year of Cooperatives.
Interactive Engagement Shines
The festival, held at the Tokyo International Forum, provided a platform for participants to engage meaningfully with themes of cooperation and sustainability. Attendees, numbering over 4,000, had the opportunity to experience interactive activities such as quizzes and presentations focused on the impact of agricultural cooperatives on sustainability [1]. The two-day event, organized by the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) National Executive Committee, aimed to dispel the notion that cooperatives are overly complex and inaccessible [1].
Economic and Environmental Innovations
A significant part of the festival was dedicated to exhibiting advancements in food production that hold the potential to transform agricultural practices. Among the exhibitors was the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA), which showcased technologies and practices aimed at reducing the environmental impact of agriculture. One such innovation is the Green Certification program, which supports environmentally friendly farming practices [1]. Key discussions at the festival emphasized these sustainable agricultural practices, highlighting their role not only in environmental conservation but also in ensuring food security for future generations [2].
Leadership and Global Participation
The event featured influential speakers from around the globe, including Hiroshi Tanaka, President of the Japan Cooperative Society, and Maria Gomez, an expert on sustainable agriculture. Tanaka emphasized the festival’s role in showcasing the power of cooperation in addressing global challenges. Gomez highlighted that sustainable practices benefit both the environment and community by ensuring long-term food security [3]. The festival also witnessed participation from over 50 countries, fostering an environment of international cooperation and exchange of agricultural technologies aimed at combatting climate change [4].
Future Prospects and Expansion
Plans for a subsequent edition of the International Cooperative Festival are underway, aiming for a larger scale participation in 2026 [4]. The event organizers envision expanding the scope to further explore sustainable innovations in food production and increase international collaborative efforts. The long-term goal is to establish the festival as a leading global platform for discussions and advancements in sustainable agriculture [5].