Overview
Mitsui & Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based trading and investment company. It develops and operates businesses across mineral and metal resources, energy, machinery and infrastructure, chemicals, iron and steel products, lifestyle, and innovation. Its activities range from resource development and commodity trading to businesses serving industrial and consumer markets.[1]
Mitsui describes its mission as “Build brighter futures, everywhere,” reflecting an aim to contribute to a better future for people and the planet. It operates globally: as of October 2025, it listed 111 overseas offices and trading subsidiaries. For the fiscal year ended March 2025, consolidated revenue was approximately ¥14.7 trillion, and it had 56,400 consolidated employees.[2][3][4][5] [1][2][3][4][5]
Products & services
Mitsui & Co.’s resource and energy products include iron ore, metallurgical coal, copper, oil, natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Its activities extend from mining and oil-and-gas production to LNG sales and trading in oil, biofuels, natural gas, power and emissions credits. It also produces and trades methanol and handles products such as solvents, plastics, crop-protection products, feed additives and functional food ingredients; related services include chemical storage terminals and agricultural-input supply with farming guidance.[6][7]
Its industrial offerings include domestic and international steel sales, steel processing, construction steel, automotive components, wind-turbine towers and flanges, and oil-and-gas pipeline repair equipment and services. In machinery and infrastructure, Mitsui supplies or invests in power-generation facilities, renewable power, railway equipment, construction machinery, automotive sales and finance, and vessels used in offshore oil production, including floating production, storage and offloading units. Its infrastructure services also encompass gas distribution, ports, water treatment and energy management.[7][8]
Food products handled through its businesses include grain, refined sugar, feed, poultry, farmed salmon, meat, rice and shrimp. Associated offerings include food processing and retail, contract food services and food-service logistics. Its service portfolio also includes healthcare, information and communications technology, contact centers and business-process outsourcing, direct marketing and satellite broadcasting.[9][10][11] [6][7][8][9][10][11]
Geographic presence
Mitsui & Co. has an international operating network spanning Japan, North and South America, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania.[12] For the year ended March 2025, it reported 124 offices across 62 countries and regions, alongside 56,400 consolidated employees. The reported employee figure is a company-wide total, not a regional breakdown.[5] [12][5]
Business segments
Mitsui & Co. reports seven operating segments. Mineral & Metal Resources covers investments and businesses in iron ore, metallurgical coal, copper and other metals; Energy covers oil and gas production, LNG, energy trading and energy-transition businesses. Machinery & Infrastructure encompasses mobility, industrial machinery and infrastructure projects.[13][14]
The other segments are Chemicals, focused on chemical materials and related businesses; Iron & Steel Products, covering steel products and their supply chains; Lifestyle, spanning food, retail and wellness; and Innovation & Corporate Development, which includes IT and communications alongside corporate-development businesses.[15][16]
For the year ended March 2025, approximate contributions to profit attributable to owners of the parent were Mineral & Metal Resources 32%, Machinery & Infrastructure 26%, Energy 19%, Innovation & Corporate Development 10%, Chemicals 8%, Lifestyle 6%, and Iron & Steel Products 1%. These are calculated from reported segment profits, not revenue. The percentages exceed 100% in aggregate because other items and consolidation adjustments reduced the reported total.[15] [13][14][15][16]
Company history
The former Mitsui & Co. was founded in 1876, with Takashi Masuda as its first president. It was disbanded in 1947, after which Daiichi Bussan Kaisha, Ltd. was established. Mitsui states that the present company is not the former company’s legal continuation. In 1959, Daiichi Bussan combined with other trading companies and adopted the name Mitsui & Co., Ltd.[17][18][19]
The company expanded its overseas operations in the following decades, establishing Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. in 1966 and Mitsui & Co. Europe PLC in 1988. Its 1970 investment in Australian iron ore marked an important step in the development of its resources business.[19][20] [17][18][19][20]
Sources
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