Mitsui: Three Centuries of Japanese Business

by John G. Roberts

Founded over three hundred years ago, Mitsui is the oldest and one of the largest financial empires in Japanese history. As the present book reveals, this enduring giant owes much to the remarkable men who shaped it. Throughout their long history the Mitsui family and executives of its enterprises have been innovators. This book perceptively traces the political and economic institutions that gave birth to Japan's merchants, nurtured her indutries and fostered her zaibatsu (the gigantic financial combines whose influence and power extended to every level of Japanese society. The entire history of one of the greatest zaibatu, its simple beginnings, its ever stronger ties with the government, its steady growth following the opening of Japan to the West, its increasing independence from family control and finally its phenomenal recovery following World War II is all captured in this book by John G. Roberts.

Genres: History, Business, Japan, Asia, Economics

564 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1973

Reviews

[noblethumos · Rating 5 out of 5]

John G. Roberts’ “Mitsui: Three Centuries of Japanese Business” offers a comprehensive chronicle of the Mitsui conglomerate, tracing its evolution from a modest Kyoto dry goods store in the 17th century to a dominant force in Japan’s economic landscape by the mid-20th century. Roberts meticulously details the strategic decisions and adaptive strategies that facilitated Mitsui’s growth, emphasizing its symbiotic relationship with Japan’s political and economic transformations.


The narrative delves into Mitsui’s foundational years, highlighting the entrepreneurial acumen of the Mitsui family and their innovative approaches to commerce. Roberts elucidates how Mitsui navigated the complexities of Japan’s feudal economy, leveraging opportunities presented by the Tokugawa shogunate’s policies to establish a robust merchant enterprise.


As Japan transitioned into the Meiji era, Mitsui adeptly repositioned itself to align with the nation’s modernization efforts. The conglomerate’s expansion into banking, mining, and international trade is examined in the context of Japan’s industrialization and the global economic milieu. Roberts provides insight into Mitsui’s internal dynamics, shedding light on its management philosophies and the pivotal role of familial leadership in steering the company’s direction.


However, the work is not without its critiques. Some scholars argue that Roberts’ portrayal leans towards a narrative style, occasionally at the expense of rigorous economic analysis. For instance, a review in Monumenta Nipponica suggests that while the book succeeds as historical fiction, it falls short as an economic history . Additionally, the Journal of Japanese Studies points out that the connection between economics and empire in the text appears coincidental and indirect, presented in a manner that, though highly readable, may lack scholarly depth .


“Mitsui: Three Centuries of Japanese Business” serves as a valuable resource for those interested in the historical trajectory of one of Japan’s most influential business conglomerates. While it offers a rich narrative of Mitsui’s development and its interplay with Japan’s socio-economic changes, readers seeking a more analytical economic perspective may find the treatment less rigorous than anticipated.

GPT

[Kenedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive history of the Mitsui group from the 1600s to 1973. The business is so intertwined with Japan's history, reading this book will serve as a good overview of the country as a whole.