Business / Corporate May 11, 2021
Itochu becomes top-earning Japan trader for first time in five years
Itochu posted a net profit of ¥401.4 billion in the latest reporting year although the figure was down 19.9% from the preceding year.
Business / Financial Markets Oct 13, 2020
Buffett-led share price boom short-lived for most Japan trading firms
by Gearoid Reidy, Shoko Oda and Stephen Stapczynski
The August announcement, among the largest investments ever made by Buffett in Japan, boosted investor interest in the trading companies.
Commentary / World Sep 9, 2020
A bubble scarier than big tech is brewing in China
by Shuli Ren
Much as Beijing has advocated investing in young hard-tech stocks, professionals are still apprehensive.
Business / Corporate Aug 31, 2020
Berkshire Hathaway takes stakes topping $6 billion in Japan's top five trading companies
by Katherine Chiglinsky and Stephen Stapczynski
Shares in the trading houses leaped on news of the foray, one of billionaire Warren Buffett's biggest in Asia’s second-largest economy.
Business Aug 20, 2020
Japanese trading giant Itochu edges traditional rivals by shunning energy and metals
by Masumi Suga
Itochu is shattering the old pecking order led by Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Sumitomo by extending its lead as the nation's most valuable trader.
Business / Corporate Apr 26, 2019
Trading house Sumitomo to manage Japan-financed special economic zone near Dhaka
Major trading house Sumitomo Corp. will manage a special economic zone financed by Tokyo and expected to open near the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, in early 2022, according to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the government's development aid arm. Land reclamation for the economic zone ...
Business / Corporate Mar 15, 2019
Itochu wins bigger stake in sportswear-maker Descente in rare hostile takeover for Japan
Trading house Itochu Corp. said Friday it has increased its stake in major sportswear-maker Descente Ltd. to 40 percent, succeeding in what, for Japan, was a rare hostile takeover bid. The two firms with over 50 years of business ties were drawn into a takeover ...
Business | INSIDER REPORT Dec 25, 2018
Sōgō shōsha: Adapting to stay ahead as industries evolve
by Patrick Ryan
The sōgō shōsha's longevity, up until this point, can to a certain extent be attributed to their adeptness in being able to rapidly acclimate themselves to the changes in the business and economic environment over the years. By moving quickly and being flexible, the ...
Business | INSIDER REPORT Dec 17, 2018
Global challenges lie ahead as sōgō shōsha hunt for growth
by Patrick Ryan
While many global companies, including the sōgō shōsha, face similar political, economic, social, technological, managerial and other risks — much too many to cover here — Japan's nearly complete dependence on natural resource and raw material imports from overseas and its shrinking domestic market ...
Business | INSIDER REPORT Dec 10, 2018
Diversification, integration and the roles of trader and investor
by Patrick Ryan
There are some who have explained, in somewhat academic terms, the sōgō shōsha's upstream-downstream integration process by dividing it into two concepts: "diversification" and "integration." Weight of nontrading roles Simply, what is occurring is the business divisions' units are applying and combining such nontrading functions as ...
Business | INSIDER REPORT Dec 3, 2018
Adapting to new industries, bolstering world's infrastructure
by Patrick Ryan
The ability of the sōgō shōsha to survive through all the changes and transformations that have taken place over the years can, in many ways, be attributed to their adeptness in recognizing the rise of new industries early on and creating new businesses in ...