Credit union - Shinyo Kumiai

Based on the Small and Medium Enterprise Cooperative Association Law (Law No. 181 of 1949), and based on the Law on Financial Business by Cooperative Associations (Law No. 183 of 1949) from the standpoint of public nature as a financial institution and maintaining credit order, it is a cooperative financial institution that respects the autonomy of small and medium-sized merchants and workers and is based on the Law on Financial Business by Cooperative Associations (Law No. 183 of 1949). Its official name is a credit cooperative. While stock-based financial institutions are for-profit corporations, credit cooperatives are non-profit financial institutions that organize certain qualified people as stipulated in the Small and Medium Enterprise Cooperative Association Law and have them as traders. Surpluses generated as a result of business activities are returned to members as investment dividends or user dividends, subject to certain restrictions. Credit cooperatives have the same roots as credit unions, and can be traced back to industrial cooperatives established under the Industrial Cooperative Association Law (Law No. 34 of 1900).

Credit unions can be categorized into three types based on the characteristics of their members: regional credit unions (including ethnic credit unions for foreigners in Japan), industry credit unions, and occupational credit unions. Their business activities include accepting member deposits and savings, making loans and discounting bills for members, and conducting domestic foreign exchange transactions for members. They can also accept deposits from non-members up to a limit of 20% of the total amount of deposits and savings. There are restrictions on membership, and businesses must have 300 employees or less and capital of 300 million yen or less (wholesale businesses: 100 employees or less, 100 million yen or less; retail and service businesses: 50 employees or less, 50 million yen or less). Business areas are generally within a prefecture, and supervision is provided by the prefectural governor. As of the end of March 2007, there were 168 credit unions in total, with 1,858 branches by type (1,771 regional credit unions, 53 industry-based credit unions, and 34 occupational credit unions). The total amount of deposits and savings was 16,067.2 billion yen, the total amount of loans was 9,366.9 billion yen, and the total number of members was approximately 3,643,119.

The National Federation of Shinkin Banks is the parent organization responsible for coordinating funds, and the National Central Association of Shinkin Banks has been established as a central organization to act as the representative organization for interests at the central level and provide guidance, advice, education, etc.

[Shizuo Mori]

"New Credit Union Reader" edited by Hajime Inoue and Yasunori Takagi (1978, Financial and Fiscal Affairs Research Association) " "A Short History of Credit Unions" edited by the Credit Union Short History Editorial Committee (1978, Nihon Keizai Hyoronsha) " "A Study of Credit Unions" by Genzo Yasuda (1978, Nihon Keizai Hyoronsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中小企業等協同組合法（昭和24年法律181号）を根拠法とし、さらに金融機関としての公共性と信用秩序維持の立場から「協同組合による金融事業に関する法律」（昭和24年法律183号）に基づく中小商工業者および勤労者の自律性を重んずる自立共助の協同組織の金融機関である。正式には信用協同組合という。株式組織金融機関が営利法人であるのに対して、信用組合は中小企業等協同組合法で定められた一定の資格ある人々を組織して取引者とする非営利法人の金融機関である。事業活動の結果生じた剰余金は、一定の制限のもとに出資配当または利用者配当として組合員に還元される。信用組合の源は信用金庫と同根で、産業組合法（明治33年法律34号）に基づいて設立された産業組合にさかのぼることができる。

　信用組合は、組合員の特性によって地域信用組合（在日外国人のための民族系信用組合を含む）、業域信用組合、職域信用組合の三つに分類できる。業務は組合員の預金、積金の受入れ、組合員のための貸付および手形割引、組合員のためにする内国為替(かわせ)取引などである。また、預金、積金の総額の20％を限度として組合員以外の預金を受け入れることができる。組合員資格には制限があり、事業者は従業員300人以下、資本金3億円以下（卸売業は100人以下、1億円以下、小売業・サービス業は50人以下、5000万円以下）のものが対象となる。営業区域はおおむね一都道府県内で、所轄監督は都道府県知事である。2007年（平成19）3月末現在、信用組合数は168、種類別店舗数は1858（地域信用組合1771、業域信用組合53、職域信用組合34）で、預金・積金量16兆0672億円、貸出金9兆3669億円、組合員数約364万3119人である。

　なお、資金の調整機能を行う親機関として全国信用協同組合連合会があり、また、中央における利益代表機関の役割を果たし指導、助言、教育などを提供する全国信用組合中央協会が中央機関として設立されている。

［森　静朗］

『井上肇・高木安典編『新信用組合読本』（1978・金融財政事情研究会）』▽『信用組合小史編纂委員会編『信用組合小史』（1978・日本経済評論社）』▽『安田原三著『信用組合の研究』（1978・日本経済評論社）』

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