Io Credit Association

Io Credit Association (イオ信用組合, Io Shinyō Kumiai; Korean: 이어신용조합) is a Japanese credit cooperative (shinkumi) whose membership base is centered on the Korean resident community in Japan. Its head office (本店) is located in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, while its headquarters functions (本部) are in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. The name "Io" derives from the Korean word 이어 (ieo), meaning "to inherit" or "to succeed." The institution is a cooperative financial organization rather than a listed bank, and it operates branches across Aichi, Gifu, Mie, Shizuoka and Ishikawa prefectures. The association traces its origins to 1954, when it was established as Taisei Credit Association (大成信用組合). It was renamed Chogin Gifu Credit Association (朝銀岐阜信用組合) in 1972, and in 1999 merged with four other Chogin cooperatives (Toyama, Ishikawa, Shizuoka and Mie) to form Chogin Chubu Credit Association (朝銀中部信用組合). In 2001 it took over the business of the failed Chogin Aichi and Chogin Fukui cooperatives and moved its headquarters functions to Nagoya. In 2004 it adopted its current name, Io Credit Association. As a shinkumi, Io Credit Association serves its members (組合員) with a range of retail financial products. On the deposit side these include ordinary, time, installment and savings deposits, along with specially branded time-deposit products such as Io Power PREMIUM, Minori, Io Connect, Select, Nenkin Teiki/Fukuju II, Fukuju II and Super Partner III. On the lending side it offers housing loans (including the Dream and consolidation housing loans), consumer loans (Shinkumi-guaranteed loan, Life Loan, Io Shin Card Loan, Io Choice) and business loans for small and medium-sized enterprises (Shinkumi New Small Business, Business Support Loan, Frontier Loan II, Challenge Loan, Free Owner). Beyond core banking, the association provides services such as the Shinkumi App with CRECO, debit cards, Bank Pay QR code payments, Kotora remittance, internet banking, and access to Seven Bank ATMs with fee cashback. It publishes annual "community-based finance" (地域密着型金融) promotion plans and status reports, and frames its management philosophy around contributing to the Korean resident community and the wider regional society, prioritizing member benefit, independence and transparency. Its compliance policy explicitly states that it strives for the smooth financing of small and micro enterprises and workers, including Korean residents in Japan (在日朝鮮・韓国人).

Io Credit Association's history is closely tied to the postwar development of cooperative finance within Japan's Korean resident community. It was established on October 25, 1954 as Taisei Credit Association (大成信用組合). In October 1972 it was renamed Chogin Gifu Credit Association (朝銀岐阜信用組合), aligning it with the network of Chogin (朝銀) credit cooperatives associated with Korean residents in Japan. On September 27, 1999, Chogin Gifu merged with four other cooperatives — Chogin Toyama, Chogin Ishikawa, Chogin Shizuoka and Chogin Mie — to form Chogin Chubu Credit Association (朝銀中部信用組合). This consolidation created a broader regional institution spanning central Japan. On November 26, 2001, the association took over the business of the failed Chogin Aichi and Chogin Fukui cooperatives and relocated its headquarters functions to Nagoya. This step expanded its presence in Aichi Prefecture and consolidated its administrative base in the Nagoya area. On February 23, 2004, the institution changed its name to Io Credit Association (イオ信用組合). The name "Io" comes from the Korean word 이어 (ieo), meaning "to inherit" or "to succeed." Later that year, on November 19, 2004, it closed its Takayama, Matsusaka and Nakagawa branches. On July 30, 2007, the Nagoya branch and headquarters moved to Tsubakicho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. On November 21, 2008, the Hamamatsu branch was closed. On October 29, 2012, the Nagoya branch and headquarters moved again, to 4-chome, Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya. On October 25, 2019, the Tajimi and Toyama branches were closed. On October 23, 2023, the Numazu branch was closed. On October 27, 2025, the Tsu and Fukui branches were closed. Through these closures the association has gradually consolidated its branch network while maintaining a presence in Aichi, Gifu, Mie, Shizuoka and Ishikawa prefectures; it formerly also had branches in Toyama and Fukui prefectures. Throughout its history the association has operated as a shinkumi (credit cooperative), a member-based cooperative financial institution rather than a joint-stock bank. Its management philosophy states that "Io Shin works for the happiness of its members," and its basic management policy commits it to contributing to the development of the Korean resident community and regional society as an ethnic financial institution, prioritizing member interests, maintaining independence and transparency, developing the next generation, and improving the lives of officers and employees. Its compliance policy explicitly references serving the smooth financing of small and micro enterprises and workers, including Korean residents in Japan.

• 2025

  Closed Tsu and Fukui branches.

• 2023

  Closed Numazu branch.

• 2019

  Closed Tajimi and Toyama branches.

• 2012

  Nagoya branch and headquarters relocated to Meieki 4-chome, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya.

• 2008

  Closed Hamamatsu branch.

• 2007

  Nagoya branch and headquarters relocated to Tsubakicho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.

• 2004

  Renamed Io Credit Association (イオ信用組合).

• 2004

  Closed Takayama, Matsusaka and Nakagawa branches.

• 2001

  Took over the business of the failed Chogin Aichi and Chogin Fukui cooperatives and moved headquarters functions to Nagoya.

• 1999

  Merged with Chogin Toyama, Chogin Ishikawa, Chogin Shizuoka and Chogin Mie to form Chogin Chubu Credit Association (朝銀中部信用組合).

• 1972

  Renamed Chogin Gifu Credit Association (朝銀岐阜信用組合).

• 1954

  Established as Taisei Credit Association (大成信用組合).

A community- and ethnicity-rooted cooperative bank serving the Korean resident community and local small businesses and workers in central Japan.

• Io Power PREMIUM

• Minori

• Io Connect

• Select

• Nenkin Teiki / Fukuju II

• Fukuju II

• Super Partner III

• Tame-toku Gift

• Dream housing loan

• Consolidation housing loan

• Shinkumi-guaranteed loan

• Life Loan

• Io Shin Card Loan

• Io Choice

• Shinkumi New Small Business

• Business Support Loan

• Frontier Loan II

• Challenge Loan

• Free Owner

• Shinkumi App with CRECO

• Debit card / Bank Pay QR code payment

• Kotora remittance

1. 1イオ信用組合 公式サイトio-shin.com
2. 2イオ信用組合 | 法令等遵守に対する基本方針io-shin.com
3. 3イオ信用組合 | 地域密着型金融推進計画io-shin.com
4. 4イオ信用組合 | イオ信用組合についてio-shin.com
5. 5Io Credit Association - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6イオ信用組合 - Wikipedia (ja)ja.wikipedia.org