JA Yatsushiro

What JA Yatsushiro does

JA Yatsushiro (八代地域農業協同組合, English: Yatsushiro Regional Agricultural Cooperative) is a member-owned agricultural cooperative organized under Japan's Agricultural Cooperative Act and headquartered in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Founded in 1995 through the merger of predecessor cooperatives, the organization marked its 30th anniversary in February 2025 and serves the Yatsushiro and Hikawa Town catchment. It operates as a comprehensive multi-vertical cooperative, providing three integrated service pillars to its farmer-members and local residents: (1) agricultural services including direct farm stands (直売所), fruit sorting and grading facilities (選果場), and agricultural product promotion; (2) financial services under the JA Bank and JA Kyōsai (mutual aid insurance) brands, operating as a registered financial institution under Kyushu Finance Bureau registration No. 62; and (3) lifestyle services including JA-SS fuel stations, real estate brokerage (Takken Center), elderly care/welfare, funeral services, and propane gas supply (in partnership with Daiwa Shōji).

The cooperative's distribution relies on physical infrastructure — multiple sorting facilities, direct farm stands, and branch offices (Minami, Chuo, Otagō branches, plus Hikawa Town) — supplemented by an official website, LINE account, Instagram (@ja_yatsushiro), and monthly PR magazine. Its revenue model spans transaction-based streams (agricultural product sales, fuel, real estate transactions, funeral services) and recurring streams (JA Bank deposits/loans, JA Kyōsai insurance premiums, propane gas subscriptions). Customer segments are horizontal: local farmers and agricultural producers (primary) and general local residents (primary), with no enterprise anchor customers. Strategic positioning is rooted in the JA Group nationwide network (JA Kumamoto Chūōkai, JA Bank Kumamoto, JA Kyōsai Rengō, JA Kumamoto Keizai Ren) and municipal partnerships with Yatsushiro City and Hikawa Town, with no disclosed funding, M&A, or external investor activity.

Name

JA Yatsushiro

Legal name

八代地域農業協同組合

Website

https://ja-yatsushiro.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

JA Yatsushiro is a member-owned regional agricultural cooperative in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, serving local farmers and residents with farm stands, sorting facilities, JA Bank, JA Kyōsai insurance, fuel stations, real estate, eldercare, funeral, and propane gas services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Cooperative Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115), Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmer Cooperatives & Co-op Retail (AFABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm-to-Consumer Cooperative Markets (Local Producer Co-ops) (CRAHALAG), Multi-Stakeholder Grocery Cooperatives (CRAHALAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural cooperative services
• Community banking services
• Mutual aid insurance
• Farm stand retail
• Agricultural sorting facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Yatsushiro

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Product Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of agricultural products through sorting facilities and direct farm stands, supporting local farmers and delivering fresh produce to consumers.
2. JA Bank (Financial Services): Banking and loan services provided under the JA Bank brand, serving as a registered financial institution (登録金融機関) under Kyushu Finance Bureau authority.
3. JA Kyosai (Insurance): Mutual aid insurance products offered under the JA Kyosai brand for members and local residents.
4. JA-SS (Fuel Station): Fuel station services (JA-SS) providing gasoline and diesel to members and the local community.
5. Real Estate Services (宅建センター): Real estate and housing-related services through the Takken Center.
6. Eldercare and Funeral Services: Care welfare and funeral services provided for community members.
7. Propane Gas (プロパンガス): Propane gas supply services in partnership with Daiwa Shoji (大和商事).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JA Yatsushiro is a regional agricultural cooperative that supports local farmers in the Yatsushiro and Hikawa area of Kumamoto Prefecture with production assistance, multiple product sorting and grading facilities (選果場), and direct-to-consumer farm stands (直売所) for distributing fresh local produce. The cooperative also delivers an integrated suite of member and community services including JA Bank deposits and loans, JA Kyosai mutual aid insurance, JA-SS fuel stations, real estate brokerage, eldercare, funeral services, and propane gas supply, all operated through local branch offices (支所).

Product overview

JAやつしろ (Yatsushiro Regional Agricultural Cooperative) operates as a comprehensive agricultural cooperative providing integrated services to its members and the local community. The cooperative offers a broad portfolio of services organized around three main pillars: (1) Agricultural services including farm stand direct sales, fruit grading facilities, and agricultural product promotion; (2) Financial services including JA Bank (banking), JA Loan (credit), and JA Kyosai (insurance/mutual aid); and (3) Lifestyle services including gas stations (JA-SS), funeral services, elderly care/welfare, real estate services, and propane gas supply. The cooperative serves the Yatsushiro region of Kumamoto Prefecture and appears to operate on a unified cooperative model without a modular platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JA Kumamoto Chūōkai (JA熊本中央会)coreOthersJA Kumamoto Chūōkai is the central association of JA Group in Kumamoto Prefecture. JA Yatsushiro is affiliated with this central body as part of the nationwide JA Group network.
• JA Bank Kumamoto (JAバンク熊本)coreOthersRegional JA Bank entity for Kumamoto Prefecture, providing banking services under the JA Bank brand umbrella that JA Yatsushiro participates in.
• JA Kyōsai Rengō (JA共済連)coreOthersNational JA mutual aid insurance federation. JA Yatsushiro offers JA Kyosai insurance products under this national framework.
• JA Kumamoto Keizai Ren (JA熊本経済連)coreOthersJA Kumamoto Economic Federation, part of the JA Group structure handling economic and agricultural business operations in the prefecture.
• Minna no Yoi-shoku Project (みんなのよい食プロジェクト)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA JA Group food education initiative promoting good food and dietary habits. JA Yatsushiro participates in this educational project.
• Yatsushiro City (八代市)coreOthersMunicipal government of Yatsushiro City. JA Yatsushiro serves the agricultural community within the city jurisdiction and collaborates on regional initiatives.
• Hikawa Town (氷川町)coreOthersHikawa Town municipality within the JA Yatsushiro service area. JA Yatsushiro provides services to agricultural producers and residents in Hikawa Town.
• Kappa FM / FM Yatsushiro (かっぱFM)minorOthersLocal FM radio station in Yatsushiro, listed in the JA Yatsushiro links collection as a local partner.
• Kumamoto Prefecture Itema Iga Kyōdō Kumiai (熊本県い業協同組合)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKumamoto Prefecture Itema (igusa/domatsus table) cooperative. JA Yatsushiro is linked to this cooperative for promoting and distributing regional itema (rush grass/tatami surface) products, a specialty of the region.
• Daiwa Shōji Co., Ltd. (大和商事)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJA Yatsushiro partners with Daiwa Shoji for propane gas supply services (八代地域農協プロパン／大和商事).
• Yatsushiro Fisheries Cooperative (八代漁業協同組合)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fishing cooperative with which JA Yatsushiro co-hosted the 30th Anniversary × Yatsushiro Fisheries Cooperative 70th Anniversary event in October 2025.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Aeon (イオン): Japan's largest general retailer with significant agricultural procurement, private-label food production, and rural store networks. Competes with JA Yatsushiro for local consumer food spend and grocery retail share.
• JA Kyōsai Rengō (JA共済連): National mutual aid insurance federation of the JA Group. JA Yatsushiro offers JA Kyosai insurance products under this national framework, making it a key product/peer partner rather than a competitor.
• Zen-Noh (JA全農 / National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations): National-level economic federation of JA cooperatives handling nationwide procurement, sales, and export of agricultural products. JA Yatsushiro is connected through the Kumamoto Economic Federation (JA Kumamoto Keizai Ren) into this national structure.
• JA Bank Kumamoto: Regional JA Bank entity for Kumamoto Prefecture providing banking infrastructure under the JA Bank brand umbrella. JA Yatsushiro operates through this entity to deliver banking services to its members.

Regional players

• JA Higo (JA肥後): A regional JA cooperative in Kumamoto Prefecture serving a different geographic area than JA Yatsushiro. Comparable cooperative structure offering agricultural, banking, insurance, and lifestyle services to its members.
• JA Kitakumamoto (JA北熊本): Another regional JA cooperative in Kumamoto Prefecture, comparable in structure and service offering (agricultural, financial, lifestyle) but operating in a different geographic territory within the prefecture.
• JA Minami-Aso (JA阿蘇): Regional JA cooperative in Kumamoto Prefecture serving the Aso area with comparable agricultural, banking, insurance, and lifestyle service offerings. Comparable in scale and cooperative model to JA Yatsushiro.

Direct peers

• JA Kumamoto Chūōkai (JA熊本中央会): The prefectural central federation of JA cooperatives in Kumamoto Prefecture, of which JA Yatsushiro is a member. Operates as the apex body coordinating regional agricultural cooperative activities across the same prefecture.
• Seikatsu Club (生活クラブ生協): Japanese consumer cooperative focused on food safety, local sourcing, and direct producer relationships. Comparable in mission to JA Yatsushiro's farm-to-consumer focus, though organized as a consumer-led cooperative rather than producer-led.
• Co-op (Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union / 日本生協連): National consumer cooperative union operating grocery retail, insurance, and lifestyle services. Operates a similar member-owned cooperative model with direct-to-consumer channels, though focused on consumer rather than producer members.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ja_yatsushiro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JA Yatsushiro