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Mitsubishi is the name for a large group of related Japanese
companies that share the Mitsubishi brand name.
History
The first Mitsubishi company was a shipping firm that Yataro Iwasaki established
in 1870. In 1873 it took the name Mitsubishi Shokai (三菱商会). The name Mitsubishi (三菱,
Kunrei-shiki: Mitubisi) means three rhombi, which is reflected in the company's logo.
That company soon diversified into coal mining, shipbuilding, banking, insurance, warehousing, and trade. Later
diversification carried the organization into such sectors as paper, steel, glass, electrical equipment, aircraft, oil, and real estate. As Mitsubishi built a broadly based conglomerate, it played a central role in the modernization of Japanese industry.
At the start of the 20th century the company, which by itself accounted
for over half of the Japanese merchant fleet, entered into a period of diversification that would eventually result in the
creation of three entities:
- Mitsubishi Bank was
founded in 1919. After its merger with Bank of Tokyo in 1996, this became Japan's largest bank.
- Mitsubishi Corporation, founded in 1893, serves the internal financing needs of the group
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which includes these Industrial companies.
World War II
During the Second World War, Mitsubishi manufactured aircrafts, incuding the famous Zero that was used in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
After the war
Mitsubishi split itself into independent companies in 1946 under the postwar government policy of decentralizing industry. The
newly independent companies used their accumulated technology and other strengths to pursue growth under separate business
models. As independent corporations, the Mitsubishi companies cooperated in some ventures, as in petrochemicals and nuclear
power, and competed with each other in other sectors. The Mitsubishi companies form a loose entity known as the Mitsubishi Keiretsu, or
Mitsubishi Group.
Problems
Mitsubishi has been criticized for some of its corporate practices, most notably with respect to workplace discrimination and environmental pollution. A disgruntled former employee, Kamal Sinha, has started a website called Mitsubishi Watch to report
such complaints.
The Mitsubishi companies
Core members
- Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Fuso Truck &
Bus Corp.
- Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.
- The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.
- Mitsubishi Shindoh Co., Ltd.
- Kirin
Brewery Co., Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Steel Mfg. Co., Ltd.
- Meiji
Life Insurance Co.
- Mitsubishi Kakoki Kaisha, Ltd.
- The Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corp.
- Mitsubishi Aluminum Co., Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Logistics Corp.
- Nikon Corp.
- Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Materials Corp.
- Nippon Oil Corp.
- Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.
- Mitsubishi Motors Corp.
- Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
- Mitsubishi Corporation
- Mitsubishi Paper Mills, Ltd.
- P.S. Mitsubishi Construction Co., Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
- Mitsubishi Plastics, Inc.
- The Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
These companies are members of the Mitsubishi Kinyokai (or Friday Club), and meet monthly.
Related Organizations
- Atami Yowado
- Chitose
Kosan Co., Ltd.
- The Dia Foundation for Research on Ageing Societies
- Diamond Family
Club
- Kaitokaku
- Koiwai Noboku Kaisha, Ltd.
- LEOC JAPAN CO.,
LTD
- Marunouchi
Yorozu Corp.
- Mitsubishi C&C Research Association
- Mitsubishi Club
- Mitsubishi Corporate Name and Trademark Committee
- Mitsubishi Economic Research Institute
- The
Mitsubishi Foundation
- Mitsubishi
Kinyokai
- Mitsubishi Marketing Association
- Mitsubishi Public Affairs Committee
- The Mitsubishi Yowakai Foundation
- MT Insurance Service Co., Ltd.
- Seikado
Bunko Art Museum
- Shonan Country
Club
- Sotsu
Corporation
- The Toyo Bunko
External links
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