Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. The companies trace their origin to a shipping company started in 1870 by a man named Yataro Iwasaki. Yataro also established businesses in mining, shipbuilding, banking and insurance. He thus laid the foundation for the subsequent growth and development of the Mitsubishi companies. The former constituents share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark, and legacy. The group companies participate in limited business cooperation, but most famously through monthly “Friday Conference” executive meetings, they are formally independent and are not under common control. The three main companies in the group are The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (the largest bank in Japan), Mitsubishi Corporation (a general trading company) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (a diversified manufacturing company).