History of MitsubishiThe first Mitsubishi Company was a shipping firm established by Yataro Iwasaki (1834–1885) in 1870. In 1873, its name was changed to Mitsubishi Shokai.
The company bought into coal mining in 1881 by acquiring the Takashima mine and Hashima Island in 1890, using the produce to fuel their extensive steamship fleet.
They also diversified into shipbuilding, banking, insurance, warehousing, and trade. Later diversification carried the organization into such
sectors as paper, steel, glass, electrical equipment, aircraft, oil, and real estate.During the Second World War, Mitsubishi manufactured aircraft, under the direction of Jiro Horikoshi. The Mitsubishi Zero was a primary Japanese naval fighter in World War II.
As well as building prominent fighters, Mitsubishi also built many of Japan's most famous bombers of the war, such as the G3M, the G4M, the Ki-21, and the Ki-67.
During the 1930s, Mitsubishi had also built the single-engine Ki-35.
At the end of the Second World War Japans large industrial groups were dismantled by order of the Allied powers and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was split into three regional companies, each with an involvement in motor vehicle development.
By the beginning of the 1960s, Japans economy was gearing up: wages were rising and the idea of family motoring was taking off.
It was decided that the company should create a single operation to focus on the automotive industry and, in 1970 the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) was formed.
In 1970, the company signed an LNG purchase and sale agreement in Brunei, marking the start of the global development of an investment-based business model transcending simple trading company activities.Together with its over 500 group companies, Mitsubishi employs a multinational workforce of approximately 54,000 people. Mitsubishi has long been engaged in business with customers around the world in many industries, including energy, metals, machinery, chemicals, food and general merchandise.
History of Mitsubishi
