Sumitomo

Sumitomo refers to one of Japan’s oldest and largest business groups, rooted in the 17th century. The Sumitomo name originates with Masatomo Sumitomo, who established a family enterprise in Osaka that expanded into copper mining with the Besshi Copper Mine in Ehime Prefecture. Over time the holdings grew into a prominent zaibatsu, with activities spanning banking, chemicals, machinery, and trading.

After World War II, the zaibatsu system was dissolved by Allied authorities. Sumitomo reorganized into a keiretsu, a network of affiliated companies with cross-shareholdings across multiple industries, preserving a common Sumitomo identity while operating as a diversified business group.

In the modern era, the Sumitomo Group includes a wide range of companies in metals, chemicals, machinery, and trading. Notable entities include Sumitomo Metal Mining, Sumitomo Chemical, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Sumitomo Realty & Development, and Sumitomo Life Insurance. In finance, Sumitomo Bank merged with Sakura Bank in 2001 to form Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), one of Japan’s largest financial services groups.

Globally, Sumitomo companies operate in Asia, the Americas, and Europe, maintaining a broad footprint across industrial sectors. The group is distinct from neighboring keiretsu groups such as Mitsubishi and Mitsui, though all continue to influence Japan’s corporate landscape through their multinational operations and historical legacies.