This is the fourth part of a new series of reports written by industry specialists. The first 12 articles are about Japanese general trading companies, or sōgō shōsha.

To understand better the businesses the sōgō shōsha are involved in today, a look should be taken at how the sōgō shōsha developed over time.

Although I will focus on how the modern sōgō shōsha developed after World War II, a brief look at their origins might also be helpful.