Mitsubishi Zaibatsu Case Study

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The establishment of Mitsubishi Zaibatsu was originally found by Iwasaki Yataro in 1870 (Kensy, 2001, p. 230). Yataro also mentioned at that time that the information relating to the firm’s accounting was be treated privately (Mishima, 1989, p. 13). Three years later, the name was changed to Mitsubishi (three diamonds) Shokai (Mishima, 1989, p. 16), and particularly invested in shipping business as well as trading (Kensy, 2001, p. 230). Yataro headed the Mitsubishi zaibatsu to succeed in shipping industry within four years (Kensy, 2001, p. 230) because of support from the government which Yataro had a good relationship with, and the industrial promotion policy (Mishima, 1989, p. xxviii). In 1882, as the financial statements were kept secretly in the company, there was a scandal relating to the misuse of Mitsubishi’s government subsidiary to invest for other purposes, rather than in shipping industry (Mishima, 1989, p. 55).

Yanosuke, the second president, reorganised the company which merely allowed two Iwasaki families to be investors (Mishima, 1989, p. xxix). Later, Hisaya, who is Yataro’s son became the next president
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As can be seen in Mitsubishi’s management, the Mitsubishi had expanded its business into many areas as a zaibatsu during the pre-War period (Mitshubishi, n.d.), and they built up the tight relationship among the firms (Mitshubishi, n.d.). They still keep the preference of doing business with members within the family after 1950 which was the year that the corporation reconstructed and turned into Keiretsu (Morck & Nakamura, 2002, p.6). This characteristic is considered as the trade barrier for

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