Senior representatives from Japanese ICMIF member Zenkyoren (National Mutual Insurance Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives) visited the head office of the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) in Bowdon, Cheshire (UK), on Tuesday 10 March as part of a wider visit to the country.
The delegation was led by Hakuo Aoe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Zenkyoren, and Yoshihiko Murayama, President of the Board of Directors of Zenkyoren, Chair of the ICMIF Asia and Oceania Association and a member of the ICMIF Board of Directors. They were joined by Yasuhiro Hoshino, Executive Director; Go Kobayashi, Chairman’s Secretary; and Yasuhiro Hidaka, Managing Director of Zenkyoren Europe Limited. The delegation was accompanied by Tsuyoshi (Travis) Noguchi, Chairman of Gallagher Re Japan.
The visitors were welcomed at ICMIF’s headquarters by Liz Green, Chief Executive Officer of ICMIF, alongside members of the ICMIF Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and other staff, before taking part in a meeting with Liz Green and the SLT to exchange updates on their respective organisations and current priorities.
Founded in 1951, Zenkyoren provides insurance services to members of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) Group and serves around 10 million cooperative members across Japan. The organisation joined ICMIF in 1966 and remains one of the Federation’s longstanding and highly valued members in the Asia and Oceania region.
In the latest edition of the ICMIF Global 500 report, which presents a ranking of the world’s 500 largest mutual and cooperative insurers by premium income using 2022 year-end data, Zenkyoren was ranked seventh overall and was the highest-ranked ICMIF member in the list.
During the meeting, ICMIF shared updates on its current activities and priorities for 2026 as the Federation continues to operate under its 2023–2026 strategic plan while preparing for the next strategic cycle covering 2027–2030. Member input is being gathered across the global network to help shape the next phase of ICMIF’s strategy, with a proposed direction to be presented to the Board later this year and formally discussed at the General Meeting in November.
ICMIF also highlighted preparations for the upcoming 2026 ICMIF Biennial Conference, which will take place in Toronto, Canada, from 3–6 November under the theme “Trusted to Deliver”. Zenkyoren leaders were invited to participate in the event, including contributing perspectives to the conference programme.
The discussion also explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration among ICMIF members, including initiatives that support partnerships, shared services, joint ventures and other mechanisms that can help mutual and cooperative insurers access strategic capital, diversify their activities and expand into new markets.
ICMIF also shared details of other initiatives planned for 2026, including its inaugural ICMIF AI Summit in London and activities led by The ICMIF Foundation to expand access to insurance protection for underserved communities of which Zenkyoren is a great supporter.
Reflecting on the visit, Liz Green said: “It was a great honour to welcome Chairman Aoe, President Murayama and colleagues from Zenkyoren to our head office today. Zenkyoren has been a much valued member of ICMIF for nearly six decades, and their leadership and engagement continue to make an important contribution to our global network. We deeply value this longstanding relationship and the opportunity to exchange perspectives on the key issues shaping the future of mutual and cooperative insurance.”
The visit provided an opportunity for both organisations to strengthen their longstanding relationship and reaffirm their shared commitment to supporting the mutual and cooperative insurance sector worldwide.
