, also known as or JA Group, refers to the national group of 694 regional co-ops in Japan that supply members with input for production, undertake packaging, transportation, and marketing of agricultural products, and provide financial services. As of 2012, there are 4.6 million official members and 5.4 million associate members in JA. While "JA" refers to co-ops that operate in respective municipalities, the "JA Group" includes administrative bodies that supervise regional co-ops across several prefectures, run wholesale business in food products and production inputs across municipal and prefectural borders (Zen-Noh), manage credit unions (Norinchukin Bank), offer insurance (JA Kyosai), and a national headquarters that controls the entire group and manages government relations (JA Zenchu). "JA" and "JA Group" are often used interchangeably (as will be hereafter). Origin as a regulatory organization The origin of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives system can be traced back to the Nogyokai, a government-controlled association of farmers and landowners, which worked under government orders to collect, store, and redistribute agricultural products in respective regions during the Second World War. Nogyokai was transformed into the JA in the wake of Japan's surrender and amidst severe food shortage to prevent rice from being sold on the black market at high prices (rice could not be bought and sold freely at the time). While JA takes the form of a voluntary grassroots farmers’ organization, it is distinct from other co-ops in the rest of the world in that JA was founded by the government as a regulatory tool, covers all farmers in the entire country, and performs almost all economic aspects of the Japanese agricultural industry. Businesses The members of JA determine which services the cooperative will provide; these are quite comprehensive and cover nearly aspect of a farmer's existence. With nearly unlimited funds made up of member deposits, JA Group's endeavors aim to promote development in the regions where they are active. Unlike most cooperatives in Japan, JA Group has another advantage in being permitted to engage in credit and financial business. With JA Group providing sizable and stable demand for products, many manufacturers have produced specific products that are offered only to JA members, like the Subaru Sambar JA kei truck. The cooperative provides advisory services for farming as well as more general advisory roles. Direct farm business Sales of cooperative members' products managing farmers' markets supplying daily necessities such as fertilizers and pesticides selling agricultural