Mitsui

Mitsui is a large Japanese corporate group originally formed as part of the Mitsui zaibatsu, one of the leading business conglomerates in prewar Japan. The Mitsui zaibatsu originated with the Mitsui family, notably Takatoshi Mitsui, who established a dry goods shop in Edo in the 17th century and expanded into money lending and other activities. After World War II, zaibatsu structures were dissolved by Allied authorities and the various Mitsui businesses were reorganized into independent companies.

Today, Mitsui refers to a group of companies led by Mitsui & Co., Ltd., the global trading house that acts as the group's anchor enterprise. Other major members of the Mitsui network include Mitsui Fudosan (real estate), Mitsui Chemicals, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (shipping), and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, among numerous manufacturing, banking, and service units. The group operates across sectors such as energy, metals, machinery, chemicals, food, and infrastructure, with operations in Japan and around the world.

The Mitsui Bank historically served as the group's financial arm; its banking operations were reorganized in the early 2000s into Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, part of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. The contemporary Mitsui network maintains cross-shareholdings and business alliances typical of a keiretsu, emphasizing long-term relationships with suppliers and customers.