Largest Japanese trading companies 2019, by market value
As in previous years, Mitsubishi made it to the top position in the Forbes Global 2000 ranking of 2019. With a market value of 42.5 billion U.S. dollars, it outstripped its strongest competitor Mitsui & Co., Ltd. by almost 15 billion U.S. dollars.
Japan’s economic drivers sogo shosha
General trading companies in Japan – sogo shosha – are complex and powerful conglomerates exercising a vast range of international business activities. They have greatly contributed to economic growth in Japan and the globalization of business, not least because of their exceptional ability to successfully adapt to changing economic conditions domestically and globally. Sogo shosha typically handle a vast number of products from energy to metals to food and textiles and provide a huge range of services to manufacturers. They often function as financial intermediaries between banks and clients.
Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi emerged from a conglomerate (zaibatsu) founded in 1870 as a steamship company. During the occupation after World War II it was broken up into a vast number of smaller enterprises (keiretsu) engaging in all kinds of industries. Among the largest are MUFG Bank, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation. Mitsubishi Corporation is not only the largest trading company Japan, but also one of the largest Japanese companies altogether, with an annual sales revenue of around 7.6 trillion Japanese yen.
Japan’s economic drivers sogo shosha
General trading companies in Japan – sogo shosha – are complex and powerful conglomerates exercising a vast range of international business activities. They have greatly contributed to economic growth in Japan and the globalization of business, not least because of their exceptional ability to successfully adapt to changing economic conditions domestically and globally. Sogo shosha typically handle a vast number of products from energy to metals to food and textiles and provide a huge range of services to manufacturers. They often function as financial intermediaries between banks and clients.
Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi emerged from a conglomerate (zaibatsu) founded in 1870 as a steamship company. During the occupation after World War II it was broken up into a vast number of smaller enterprises (keiretsu) engaging in all kinds of industries. Among the largest are MUFG Bank, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation. Mitsubishi Corporation is not only the largest trading company Japan, but also one of the largest Japanese companies altogether, with an annual sales revenue of around 7.6 trillion Japanese yen.
