Our History

Explore Chronologically

View the history of Marubeni in chronological order.

1842 Marubeni's founder Chubei Itoh was born in Shiga Prefecture.
1858 Chubei Itoh moved out of the family business and started a linen trading business with his uncle.
1872 Chobei Itoh, Chubei Itoh's elder brother, opened Itoh Chobei Shoten.
Chubei Itoh opened Benchu in Osaka.
1914 Reorganized the former private business into C.Itoh & Co.
1918 Sales divisions of C.Itoh & Co. were divided into two incorporated companies, C.Itoh & Co., Ltd and Itochu Shoten, Ltd.
1920 The overseas trading division of C.Itoh & Co., Ltd. was spun off to establish Daido Boeki Kaisha Ltd.
1921 Established Marubeni Shoten, Ltd. From the merger of Itochu Shoten, Ltd. and Itoh Chobei Shoten.
Chobei Itoh IX was appointed as president.
1933 Marubeni Shoten formulated The Five Marubeni Precepts.
1941 Sanko Kabushiki Kaisha Ltd. was established through the merger of C.Itoh & Co., Ltd. and two other companies.
1944 Daiken Co., Ltd. was established through the merger of Daido Boeki Kaisha Ltd. and two other companies.
1949 Marubeni Co., Ltd. was established.
1950 Listed shares on the Osaka Securities Exchange and Tokyo Stock Exchange.
1951 First overseas subsidiary was established in New York.
1955 Changed trading name to Marubeni-Iida Co., Ltd. following the merger of Marubeni Co., Ltd. and Iida & Co., Ltd.
1966 Acquired Totsu Co., Ltd.
1972 Changed trading name to Marubeni Corporation.
1973 Merged with Nanyo Bussan Co., Ltd.
1974 Received approval for establishing Marubeni Foundation, a social welfare corporation.
1976 The Lockheed scandals occurred.
1998 Marubeni Corporate Principles and Marubeni Corporation Code of Conduct were enforced.
1999 The Restructuring Plan started.
2001 Medium-term management plan @ction 21 started.
Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. was established.
Medium-term management plan @ction 21 was revised and @ction 21 “A” PLAN was announced.
2003 Medium-term management plan “V” PLAN started.
2006 Medium-term management plan “G” PLAN started.
2008 Medium-term management plan SG2009 started.
2010 SG-12 Medium-term management plan started.
2013 Achieved a net income of 205.7 billion yen in the fiscal year ending March 2013.
Medium-term management plan Global Challenge 2015 started.
2016 Medium-term management plan Global Challenge 2018 started.
2019 Medium-Term Management Strategy GC2021 started.
2021 Construction of the new Marubeni Building (head office) in Tokyo completed.
Marubeni Gallery opened.
2022 Mid-Term Management Strategy GC2024 started.