Corporate History

The corporate history of the Mitsubishi Group mirrors the modernization of Japan that began with the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The man who laid the cornerstone of the Group in this era was founder Yataro Iwasaki. It was Yataro who, in 1870, established Tsukumo Shokai, a shipping company, and aggressively invested in coal and mineral mining, which grew into a key pillar of operations for Mitsubishi.

In the 1920s, the divisions of the Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha split off into companies. Mitsubishi Mining Company Ltd., was established and assumed the assets of mining-related divisions. The energetic development of Mitsubishi Mining laid the foundation that supports the technical capabilities of today's Mitsubishi Materials. After World War II, the company was split into two mining interests, one for coal and the other for metals, in accordance with a law to eliminate excessive concentrations of economic power held by some corporate groups.

Japan was the scene of unprecedented economic growth in the 1950s and the 1960s. In response to energy reforms, shifting demand from coal to petroleum and nuclear energy, the business activities of the independent coal and metal mining operations were reorganized. The new divisional makeup contributed to better lifestyles for the people of Japan.

The 1990s was a time of considerable political, economic and social transformations around the world. This decade brought an end to the cold war, the development of a sophisticated information society, upheavals in world economy and greater internationalization.
Another major development was the 1990 merger of Mitsubishi Metal and Mitsubishi Mining & Cement into Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. This did not mark a simple return to the prewar Mitsubishi Mining. Both corporate entities had achieved great changes in the postwar years and, standing on equal footing, they joined forces in a much different format.
Mitsubishi Materials, which traced the same path of Japan in its pursuit of modernization, aims to contribute to a comfortable global society in the 21st century.