Recruit Co, Ltd
http://www.recruit.co.jp/corporate/english/
Incorporated in 1963, a large information-industry company dealing
mainly in publishing and human resources. Publishes a wide range
of popular magazines such as B-ing (employment), AB-Road (travel)
and Keiko to Manabu (learning). Has annual sales of approximately
¥300 billion and total magazine circulation of approximately 7 million. Played the central role in the
Recruit Scandal in 1988, in which shares of a subsidiary were given to prominent
politicians and bureaucrats before they came on the market. The
scandal caused the downfall of several influential figures, including
Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro. Headquarters are in Tokyo.
Resona Holdings, Inc
http://www.resona-hd.co.jp/index-e.htm
Formed in December 2001 as Daiwa Bank Holdings, Inc., following the consolidation of Daiwa Bank,
Kinki Osaka Bank, and Nara Bank. After acquiring Asahi
Bank in 2002, the group was renamed Resona Holdings, Inc., "resona" being the Japanese
for "ideal". But by 2003, the company was in a far from ideal state and its effective insolvency
threatened to destabilize the country's entire banking system. In May, the government had to step
in and inject about ¥3 trillion of public funds into the group, becoming its majority shareholder.
Management was sacked and replaced with new faces, who set about reducing the group's non-performing
loans. In 2004, management announced a 10-year plan to return the public funds. Headquarters are
in Osaka.
Ricoh Co, Ltd
http://www.ricoh.com
Ricoh Company, Ltd., is one of the world's leading suppliers of
office automation equipment, including copiers, facsimile machines,
data processing systems, and related supplies. The Company is
also renowned for its state-of-the-art electronic devices and
photographic equipment. The group has over 300 companies in Japan
and overseas. Headquarters are in Tokyo.
Sakura Bank, Ltd (now part of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group)
At one point, the world's second largest bank in terms of deposits.
Formed in 1990 through a merger of Mitsui Bank, Ltd and Taiyo
Kobe Bank, Ltd and took its present name in 1992. In 1999, the
bank had over 16,000 employees and over 500 offices in Japan and
abroad. The bank announced plans to merge with Sumitomo
Bank in 2001 to form Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp,
now Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group,
the third-largest bank in the world. The combined firm shed
some 9,300 employess and shut over 180 branches in Japan
and abroad. The merger was revolutionary in that it marked the
first time that major firms crossed the lines between two rival
keiretsu groupings.
Sanwa Bank, Ltd (now part of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group)
One of the leading city banks in Japan, incorporated in 1933 following
the merger of three banks. Had a network extending to 31 countries,
including key capital markets in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Provided traditional commercial banking, investment banking services
such as aircraft, project, and trade finance, international mergers
and aquisitions and structured financial arrangements. The main
member of the Sanwa Bank group, which included such major general
trading companies as Nissho Iwai
Corporation and Nichimen
Corporation. Plans for creating a holding company with Asahi
Bank and Tokai Bank were derailed in mid-2000 when Asahi Bank pulled
out. Established United Financial of Japan (UFJ) Group Holdings,
one of the so-called 'megabank' groups, with Tokai Bank and Toyo Trust and Banking Co
in April 2001 but the burden of bad loans led it to merge with Mitsubishi Tokyo
Financial Group in 2005 to form Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.
Sega Sammy Holdings
http://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/
Founded in 1951 as Service Game Inc and took the name Sega
in 1965. The No.3 video-game console maker worldwide achieved
great success with its SegaSaturn machine, which it replaced with the
128-bit Dreamcast (developed with such companies as Microsoft and
NEC) in 1999. Fierce competition with rivals such
as Sony forced the company to abandon the machine market and
concentrate on game software. Also produces game center amusement
machines, and operates theme parks, movie theaters and karaoke
rooms nationwide. Headquarters are in Tokyo.
Seibu Saison Group
http://home.saison.co.jp/SIS/english/index.html
Includes such companies as The Hotel Intercontinental - Tokyo
Bay, Pacific Tour Systems Corporation, Seibu Department Stores
Ltd, Ticket Saison, Seiyu Ltd and the Seibu Lions professional
baseball team. Headquarters are in Tokyo.
Sharp Corporation
http://sharp-world.com/index.html
Manufactures a wide range of products such as LCD's, VCR's, computers,
semiconductors and TV's. Established in 1912 by Hayakawa Tokuji,
who three years later invented the Ever Sharp mechanical pencil
from which the company name is derived. Pioneered integrated-circuit
technology and its R&D force of over 6,000 continues to produce
developments in laser and magnetic technology. Sharp's line of
high-tech digital TVs includes the Aquos wide-screen range. Products
are sold in over 140 countries worldwide. Until 2000, sponsor
of the world's richest soccer team, Manchester United. Headquarters
are in Osaka.
Shinsei Bank (formerly the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan)
http://www.shinseibank.com/english/
Incorporated in 1952, the second-largest private bank specializing
in long-term credit to industry. Provided financial aid for industrial
recovery following World war II. Initially specialized in the
steel, coal, electric and shipping industries but, over the years,
moved into various other sectors. Has wholly-owned subsidiaries
in such countries as the UK and Switzerland. Came under temporary
government control in 1999. The Japanese government later
agreed the sale of the bank to US investment group Ripplewood
Holdings for around ¥1 billion, and the bank's
name was changed in June 2000. Shinsei is ahead of local rivals
in terms of its services for non-Japanese customers, particularly in
the field of online banking. Headquarters are in Tokyo.
Softbank Corporation
http://www.softbank.co.jp/en/
Founded in 1981 by CEO Son Masayoshi, a leading telecommunications
and media corporation, with operations in broadband, fixed-line and mobile
telecommunications, e-Commerce, Internet, broadmedia, technology services,
finance, media and marketing, and other businesses. Japan's largest computer
publisher and distributor of packaged software and hardware, with
billions of dollars invested in more than
100 Internet-related companies such as Yahoo Japan, GeoCities
Japan and ZDNet Japan. In 2005, bought the Fukuoka Hawks
professional baseball team. In March 2006, announced an agreement to buy
Vodafone Japan. The renamed brand, Softbank Mobile Corporation, is the
third-largest player in Japan's mobile market. Plans were also announced
to develop an iPod mobile phone together with Apple Computer. Headquarters are in Tokyo.
Sojitz Corporation
http://www.sojitz.com/en/
Formed through the merger of the Nissho Iwai and
Nichimen trading houses in 2004. Has 4 domestic offices,
62 overseas offices and over 2,000 employees. Headquarters are in Tokyo.
Sony Corporation
http://www.sony.net (Sony global site)
Incorporated as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo in 1946 by Morita
Akio (1921~99) and Ibuka Masaru (1908~97). Changed to its present name in 1958 and grew into
Japan's leading manufacturer of audio and visual electronic equipment.
The Sony trademark is registered and recognized worldwide. The
first Japanese company to offer shares on the US stock market.
Creator of such products as the Walkman, the PlayStation
and the AIBO, a pet robot dog. The AIBO was available only on the Internet
in June 1999, and the limited run sold out in a few hours. Due
to huge demand, Sony went through several design changes and sold tens of thousands of the "pets."
In 1972, the company established the Sony Foundation of Science
Education, which supports a Japan-US high-school-teacher exchange
program. Recently, the Sony Group was divided into companies including
Sony Corporation of America, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony
Electronics, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment
and Sony Online Entertainment. In April 2001, formed Sony Bank Corp, Japan's
first Internet bank and the first established by a non-banking
sector company.
In 2005, Welshman Howard Stringer became the first
non-Japanese CEO as the company found itself with several business
sections operating in the red and the brand struggling to maintain
its world-leading status. Several months after his appopintment,
Stringer announced a major shakeup, with 10,000 job cuts among its
150,000 employees worldwide as part of a 3-year restructuring plan.
Headquarters are in Tokyo.
The Sumitomo keiretsu
Third of the big four prewar zaibatsu groupings, Sumitomo, Ltd
expanded during World War II from 40 companies to 135. The House
of Sumitomo was founded by Sumitomo Masatomo in the early 17th
century. Sumitomo grew prosperous as the purveyor of copper to
the Tokugawa Shogunate and as their 'accountant'. The Sumitomo group was much more centrally
controlled by the Sumitomo family than was the case in the other
zaibatsu. Before World War II, the 16th generation head of the
family held over 90 percent of the group's shares.
Since the zaibatsu dissolution following World War II, the 80
or so Sumitomo subsidiaries have been loosely grouped in a keiretsu.
The holding company was replaced by a president's club, the White
Waters Club.
Sumitomo Bank, Ltd (now part of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group)
One of the largest city banks in Japan, established in 1895 by
Sumitomo Kichizaemon VII. The first Japanese private bank to expand
overseas, opening branches in San Francisco and Hawaii in 1916.
Entered a strategic alliance with Daiwa
Securities Group in April 1999 and merged with Sakura
Bank in 2001 to form Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, now
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, the third-largest
bank in the world. The combined firm shed some 9,300 employess and shut over 180 branches in Japan
and abroad. The merger was revolutionary in that it marked the
first time that major firms crossed the lines between two rival
keiretsu groupings.
Sumitomo Chemical Co, Ltd
http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/ (Japanese)
One of the pillars of the Sumitomo group, incorporated in 1925.
Produces a wide range of petrochemical and chemical products.
Has joint-venture affiliates in the US, Singapore and Brazil.
Headquarters are in Tokyo and Osaka.
Sumitomo Corporation
http://www.sumitomocorp.co.jp/english/
One of the world's largest companies, incorporated in 1919 and one of Japan's largest general
trading companies. Trading centers on metals, machinery, chemicals,
fuels and precious metals. Has the largest real-estate portfolio
of any general trading company. Headquarters are in Tokyo and
Osaka.
Sumitomo Life Insurance Co
http://www.sumitomolife.co.jp/
Founded in 1907 and a mutual company since 1947, the No.3 mutual
life insurance company in the world. Has over 120 branches in
Japan and 11 subsidiaries overseas. In a tie-up with two other Sumitomo Mitsui group
insurance companies and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, now
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, became part of Japan's
largest insurance sales network. Has tie-ups with companies
in some 13 countries. Employs over 64,000 people. Headquarters
are in Osaka.
Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd
http://www.sumitomometals.co.jp/e/
The oldest major corporation in Japan, with roots going back to
the refining of copper in Kyoto in 1590. Incorporated in 1950,
the company is engaged in mining, smelting and processing of such
metals as gold, copper, nickel and zinc. Headquarters are in Osaka.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group
http://www.smfg.co.jp/english/
(Formerly Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) One of the three so-called 'megabank'
groups (along with Mitsubishi
UFJ Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group) and the third-largest
bank in the world at the time of its formation. Formed when
Sumitomo Bank acquired Sakura Bank
for ¥1.4 trillion in April 2001. It was created at a time when many Japanese
banks were undergoing radical changes as a result of a 10-year
slump in the economy and a seeming inability to resolve huge bad
debts. The bank combines Sumitomo's corporate banking expertise
with Sakura's focus on individual customers and at its commencement
employed some 28,500 staff and had 206 subsidiaries. The group also
includes Daiwa Securities SMBC.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd
http://www.sumitomorubber.co.jp/ (Japanese)
Company known worldwide under the brand name Dunlop.
Produces tires, golf and tennis balls as well as other rubber
products. Incorporated in 1917. Tyres make up about two thirds
of sales, sports goods one quarter. Employs almost 4,700 people.
Headquarters are in Kobe and Tokyo.
Sumitomo Trust & Banking Corporation
http://www.sumitomotrust.co.jp/ (Japanese)
One of Japan's leading financial institutions, incorporated in
1925 as a trust company for the Sumitomo group. Long-term loans
to key industries helped sustain Japan's postwar recovery. Closely
tied to the < A HREF="#smfg">Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. Headquarters
are in Osaka. |
