미쓰이물산 해외지점의 전개과정 : 1876-1913

Abstract

This paper reviews the formation and activities of overseas branches of Mitusi Bussan, one of the leading trading companies in Japan, from its founding to the eve of the First World War. The factor-findings are as follows.

First, Mitsui Bussan"s overseas branches developed as Japanese industrialization progressed. The basic network of overseas branches, formed almost during the period of the Japanese Industial Revolution, corresponded to the Japanese trade structure.

Second, Mitsui Bussan"s overseas business was motivated not only by profit maximization but also by nationalistic ideology. From its founding Mitsui Bussan was influenced by the Meiji bureaucrats and the early locations of overseas network were also established at the request of the government.

Third, Bussan"s overseas activities were accompanied with imperialistic policies in many cases. Its expansion to Manchuria supported by Japanese military power is a good example.

Fourth, Mitsui Bussan did not employ Chinese compradores. Instead it trained Japanese employees for China business. It is distinguished character of Japanese firms compared with other western firms deployed in China. Considering nowadays Japanese firms dispatch many Japanese employees to their foreign subsidiaries, it is a very interesting fact.

Fifth, Mitsui Bussan made efforst to manage and control the branches as its business expanded geographically as well as in the numbers of commodities. These efforst resulted in the establishment of management unit(bu) based on commodities. This, however, did not totally stifle the autonomy of branches. Especially mikomi business, which was performed by overselling-overbuying operations under their own risk, guaranteed the independency of branches within the limit permitted by the main office.