【NOTE】 The Organic Agriculture Movement (Teikei) and Factors Leading to its Decline in

Teikei is the Japanese version of a worldwide movement known as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Teikei is a relationship where both consumers and producers can directly interface with each other in a co-partnership of shared responsibility and values. In Japan today, there is generally among consumers a poor understanding as to what constitutes an organic market. With this backdrop, Teikei is not expanding the movement and is even facing stagnation and decline. As Teikei stagnates, the odd phenomenon is that simultaneously the organic market is growing as various businesses enter the organic market. So why is Teikei not able to capitalize on this expanding organic market? Government certification through Japanese Agriculture Standards (JAS) has actually resulted in a reduction in the number of former organic farmers. This combined with changes in society, has led to an overall stagnation of the Teikei movement. Present social conditions have greatly undermined people's willingness to get involved with Teikei. Women have entered the workforce in large numbers and this has undercut Teikei's primary source of volunteer service. In general, people are too busy these days and tend to avoid collective tasks that are necessary in Teikei. With circumstances like these, it has proven difficult for Teikei to replace turnover in the organization and expand its mission. Teikei is also burdened by internal problems such as periodi