Tomoko Tsuchida, Managing Executive Officer, The Norinchukin Bank

Working together with stakeholders to contribute to the future of agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Tomoko Tsuchida, Managing Executive Officer, The Norinchukin Bank

■ Profile
After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo in 1994, he joined The Norinchukin Bank. After serving as Director and Deputy Director of the Public Relations and CSR Planning Office in the General Planning Department, Director of the Audit Office, and General Manager of the Nagoya Branch, he assumed his current position in April 2024.

The Norinchukin Bank has supported agricultural, forestry and fisheries businesses across the country under its mission of "contributing to the development of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and the development of the national economy." With a stable fundraising base as its backdrop, the bank aims to realize a sustainable society. We spoke with Managing Executive Officer Tomoko Tsuchida about her career and the efforts of the Norinchukin Bank.

My student days were in a very different historical context than yours today. When I entered university in 1990, the bubble economy was coming to an end, and society as a whole was still permeated with an optimistic atmosphere. I remember studying hard in high school, thinking, "I'll have fun when I become a university student." At university, I joined ski and tennis clubs and worked hard at part-time jobs.
At the time, my part-time job was mainly private tutoring. At its peak, I was in charge of five students, and I made good use of my time by teaching siblings. However, I felt that this alone was not enough work experience, so I tried working as a sales assistant at a local market at the end of the year, where I was able to learn the basics of being a working member of society through direct interaction with customers.
During my job-hunting activities, the internet had not yet become widespread, and the main way to gather information on companies was to request materials by postcard. I learned about The Norinchukin Bank while requesting materials from a variety of industries and conducting extensive research on companies. As a finance major at the Faculty of Economics, I had hoped to work for a financial institution, and The Norinchukin Bank had branches in many prefectures at the time, which made me very attracted to the opportunity to work in an environment that would allow me to take advantage of the strengths of the local areas.

■ Mission and uniqueness as a cooperative financial institution

The Norinchukin Bank is a unique financial institution that supports the development of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. As a cooperative financial institution, it plays a unique role that differs from other banks. It goes beyond simply providing financial services and provides support that reflects the voices of those on the front lines through collaboration with agricultural and fisheries cooperatives.
For example, as a member of JA Bank and JF Marine Bank, we implement support measures for small-scale farmers and new farmers in rural areas, not only providing them with financing but also helping them stabilize their businesses and expand their sales channels.Furthermore, by supporting JA and JF, which provide financial services tailored to the characteristics of each region, we contribute to resolving the issues faced by workers in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries and local residents.
In addition, the Bank has a wide network across the entire food and agriculture value chain, from the production of materials necessary for agriculture, forestry, and fisheries to post-production processing, distribution, eating out, retail, export, and consumption.In order to increase the income of agricultural, forestry, and fisheries producers, the Bank not only provides loans but also assists in business matching with clients and supporting the expansion of sales channels.

■ Stable fundraising base and challenges

One of The Norinchukin Bank's strengths is its solid fund-raising base and high creditworthiness. As the main bank for the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries, we have stable fund-raising capabilities and are highly rated by domestic and international credit rating agencies. I believe this reflects the deep trust placed in our member associations, such as JAs and JFs, by their users and members, and the strong ties we have as a cooperative financial institution.
Our bank itself aims to further stabilize its management base and continue to support the development of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries in cooperation with its members into the future.
However, the challenges facing the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries are diverse, ranging from resolving labor shortages to improving management sophistication, and there are limits to what the Bank can do alone to resolve these issues. The same is true for sustainability issues such as climate change and biodiversity. We will collaborate with agricultural, fisheries, and forestry cooperatives, including the JA Group, as well as startup companies, to utilize new technologies and services, and engage in dialogue with our members and business partners to find ways to resolve their issues. We believe that connecting stakeholders in this way is an important role for a financial institution.

■ International expansion and contribution to agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Since the late 1990s, The Norinchukin Bank has been actively expanding its investment and lending activities both domestically and internationally, in order to support the development of the domestic agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries amid a prolonged low interest rate environment in Japan, and to diversify its fund management.
Overseas, we are promoting fund management through investment activities in international financial markets with the aim of securing a stable revenue base and returning profits to our members. We also invest in and lend to businesses and infrastructure related to the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries.
I would also like to focus on overseas expansion and play a role in promoting the appeal of Japanese agricultural, forestry and fishery products to the world. With my sights set on the global market, I aim to explore new business opportunities through overseas investment and financing, and contribute to improving the competitiveness of domestic industries.
Another important role is to gather information to respond to structural changes in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries. For example, there are an increasing number of cases where agricultural production areas change due to the effects of climate change, so we analyze the impact of climate change on the production volume, price, and imports of rice, raw milk, and beef cattle, and disclose the results in Norinchukin Bank reports and on its website.
Going forward, we will continue to work closely with the domestic agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries to provide investments and loans that support sustainable growth.

■Message to university students

In today's world, change is occurring at an incredibly fast pace, and we are required to be constantly challenging ourselves with new things. I would like all students to embrace change and cherish the curiosity to constantly ask "why" and "how." One of the strengths of being a student is the luxury of using your time to pursue your pure curiosity. During your university life, do what you think is right without fear of failure, whether it's studying, club activities, part-time work, or hobbies. Perhaps your path in society will become clear at the end of the road.

Student Newspaper Online, June 25, 2025, Interview by Tsuda University 2rd year student, Karin Ishimatsu