Pal System Kanagawa Consumers' Co-operative Union (Headquarters: Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama; President: Junko Fujita) held an unveiling event for "Pal Art," its first exhibition of art by people with disabilities, at its Shin-Yokohama headquarters on Thursday, March 26. Approximately 50 people attended. The artworks will be rotated every three months under a lease agreement, creating opportunities to experience works by various artists and building continuous relationships with support organizations.

Artist Interaction Through Rotation

The unveiling event was attended by representatives from the Kanagawa Prefectural Welfare and Children's Future Bureau, organizations to which the artists belong, and executives and staff of Pal System Kanagawa. Yosuke Sakai, an employee of the Recruitment and Training Department, and Kazuo Asakura, the department manager, introduced the background of launching "Pal Art" at the beginning of the event. They explained that it is part of Pal System Kanagawa's activities toward realizing its 2030 vision of "creating a community where everyone is recognized and lives together," with advice from the prefecture, to create opportunities for people with disabilities to thrive.

▲ Mr. Sakai (left) and Mr. Asakura (right) who served as MCs

"Pal Art" is the first art exhibition system introduced at the Shin-Yokohama headquarters. Its introduction has been decided for three more delivery centers: Miyamae, Aso, and Yokohama Kita, with the goal of installing it at all 13 centers. Artworks will be leased annually from local support organizations and rotated approximately every three months.

Lease fees will be covered by disability employment adjustment funds. Pal System Kanagawa receives these grants because 21 employees with disabilities, exceeding the statutory employment rate, are actively working there. These funds will be used to introduce art to visitors at various business sites in the prefecture and to create further mechanisms for people with disabilities to thrive.

Adjustment funds will also be used during artwork exchanges, with support organizations contracted at each location being asked to perform the work. Interviews and interactions to introduce artists and their works are also planned during exchanges, aiming to create a new system where individuals who find regular employment at business sites difficult due to the nature of their disabilities can also be active.

A Symbiotic Society Expanded Through Collaboration Among Administration, Co-ops, and Local Communities

President Fujita greeted, saying, "I am happy to have created an opportunity to encounter art created with rich sensibilities. The prefecture has adopted the 'Kanagawa Charter for a Symbiotic Society,' and our 2030 vision shares common values. Let's collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including administrative bodies and local organizations, to prepare for artists' safe social participation, be energized by beautiful lines and colors, and interact to realize a mutually enriching life."

Tomonobu Ohno, Manager of the Coexistence Promotion Office, Welfare and Children's Future Bureau, expressed his respect for the consumers' co-operative's creation of employment opportunities for people with disabilities. He added, "Some of the works I saw at the venue were also exhibited at the 'Kanagawa Tomoiki Art Exhibition' organized by the prefecture, and I am once again struck by their power. Today, the 26th, marks the monthly anniversary of the Tsukui Yamayuri-en incident in July 2016. As we approach the 10th anniversary of the incident, we will further promote understanding of people with disabilities and their social participation to ensure the incident is not forgotten. The prefecture also supports Pal Art. Let's work together to achieve a regional symbiotic society."

▲ Mr. Ohno (left) and Mr. Yuya Matsumoto (right) from the same bureau, participating in charter T-shirts enacted after the Yamayuri incident

Art Born from Craftsmanship

The exhibited works were created by Yoshitsugu Hiramoto and Aya Miyoshi, who are active at "Art-ya Wando," operated by NPO Pukapuka (Aobadai, Yokohama City and Kirigaoka, Midori-ku, Yokohama City; President: Akira Takasaki).

General Manager Sae Uozumi introduced the artists, saying, "The two don't always paint; they also work at the organization's farm and stores selling side dishes, sweets, and bread, while producing commissioned works. Each user demonstrates different personalities and abilities, and I feel that their works are born through various forms of craftsmanship in their daily lives. The staff receive happiness every day."

▲ Ms. Uozumi (left), Ms. Miyoshi (center) who likes to draw animals, and Mr. Hiramoto (right) who is good at three-dimensional works

Signboards Utilizing Local Resources

The signboards introducing the artworks at each location were created by Takechiyomaru from IKIIKI Company (Choujamachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama City), a Type B continuous employment support service operated by NPO Yokohama Mobile Service Council (Choujamachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama City; President: Kazuhiro Hattori). The final stroke was completed at the venue just before the unveiling event. Takechiyomaru spoke of the difficulties of the work, saying, "My hands hurt from splitting bamboo for four venue signboards with a鉈 (nata), and I struggled to fit the text into a fixed width. Somehow, I made it in time and completed them."

Hidehisa Hoshino, the service manager, introduced a project that utilizes bamboo from abandoned bamboo groves, a problem due to the aging of farmers in Yokohama City, by receiving bamboo and using it at the workshop. He said, "The signboard production we were commissioned for led to new product ideas." The bamboo for the signboards was harvested from the premises of the Miyamae delivery center, contributing to the utilization of local resources and environmental conservation.

▲ Takechiyomaru (right) and Mr. Hoshino (left) finishing the signboard just before the unveiling event

At the venue, bread and sweets made by NPO Pukapuka were served, and participants enjoyed them while appreciating the artworks. Bamboo products such as "bamboo lanterns" created by Takechiyomaru and other users of IKIIKI Company were displayed on the tables, and the ingenuity of finishing them using specialized tools was introduced. Mr. Hiramoto also explained each detail of his elaborate three-dimensional works to the participants.

▲ Takechiyomaru (far left) explaining the ingenuity of bamboo lantern production

▲ Mr. Hiramoto (far left) explaining the details of his three-dimensional work

▲ Enjoying light meals made by Pukapuka and interacting

▲ Together with art created by the organizations

Pal System Kanagawa will continue to work hand-in-hand with diverse people living in the community to create a regional society where everyone can thrive.

Pal System Kanagawa Consumers' Co-operative Union

Location: Shin-Yokohama Traffic Building, 3-18-16 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama; President: Junko Fujita Capital contribution: 11.98 billion yen, Number of members: 368,000, Total business revenue: 57.02 billion yen (as of end of March 2025) HP: https://www.palsystem-kanagawa.coop/

Pal System Consumers' Co-operative Federation Location: 2-2-6 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President: Atsushi Shibusawa 13 member co-ops, total business revenue of unified business system users: 260.42 billion yen / total number of members: 1.762 million (as of end of March 2025) Member co-ops: Pal System Tokyo, Pal System Kanagawa, Pal System Chiba, Pal System Saitama, Pal System Ibaraki Tochigi, Pal System Yamanashi Nagano, Pal System Gunma, Pal System Fukushima, Pal System Shizuoka, Pal System Niigata Tokimeki, Pal System Kyosai Ren, Saitama Workers' Co-op, Ai Co-op Miyagi HP: https://www.pal-system.co.jp/

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: News