- 著者
-
粕谷 誠
- 出版者
- 経営史学会
- 雑誌
- 経営史学 (ISSN:03869113)
- 巻号頁・発行日
- vol.32, no.3, pp.1-24, 1997-10-30 (Released:2009-11-06)
- 被引用文献数
-
1
It is commonly said that Mitsui Bussan Kaisha (hereafter MBK) increase its trade volume satisfactorily in its founding period, 1876-1896. The first purpose of this paper is to show the change in principal commodities in which MBK dealt by analyzing its profit and loss statements in 1877, 1881, 1885, 1889, 1893, and 1896. MBK dealt mainly rice in 1877, increased the transactions of coal from 1881, that of machinery from 1889, and that of raw cotton from 1893. However it showed a decreased rice trade from 1890. The three main goods in 1896, machinery, coal, and raw cotton, were established in this way.The second purpose is to analyze the activities of MBK's London branch. The City was the center of the world trade in the period under investigation. MBK appointed R.W. Irwin an agent in London in 1877, and established a branch there in 1879. He returned to Tokyo to become the adviser of MBK, and the branch began to employ foreign employees at the agency. At first the branch dealt mainly with rice exported from Japan. It also acquired business know-how about chartering, marine insurance, and trade finance in London. Foreign employees contributed significantly to the establishment of the branch, but their salaries were much higher than that of the Japanese branch manager, so they were all fired till 1883. The volume of machinery transacted by the branch began to increase from 1899, and soon machinery became its principal merchandise. The branch began to borrow from Kleinwort Sons and Co., the first class merchant banker in the City, in 1892. This fact signifies that the branch established credit there.