Major Japanese trading companies 2023, by total assets

As of March 2023, Mitsubishi Corporation was the leading trading company in Japan, managing assets valued at over 22 trillion Japanese yen. Mitsubishi is one of the largest general trading companies known as a sôgô shôsha in Japan, generating over 21 trillion Japanese yen in revenue through its varied business fields.

General traders – the unique players in Japanese trade

Sôgô shôsha are large trading conglomerates that manage a broad product and service portfolio. The business model is unique to the Japanese economy and the companies are involved in a wide range of activities. They form the top of Japanese trading businesses, with Mitsui, Itochu, Sumitomo, Marubeni, Toyota, and Sojitz being categorized as sôgô shôsha as well. With logistics, finance, and real estate development commonly being part of their activities, general traders carry significant importance for the domestic retail and wholesale industries, where their subsidiaries develop, distribute, and sell products to consumers.

Building the bridge to global markets

Due to their diversified business activities and presence in overseas markets, general trading companies are key players in Japan’s foreign trade. They are heavily involved in the flow of goods from and to Japan, owing to their subsidiaries that operate fleets of maritime transportation vessels in the logistics industry. As the country has exhausted its natural oil reserves, fossil fuels are the leading import commodities to Japan, which works in favor of the large multinational conglomerates that have invested in the infrastructure to supply the Japanese energy sector. Other markets in which the sôgô shôsha are represented include the metals, machinery, automotive, construction, and chemical markets.