Japanese trading houses and international development

International trade is not dead and export still has some great years ahead. In September 2020, Warren Buffett has $7 billion invested in 5 international Japanese trading houses: Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo. This shows that he believes in their model and in their resilience already demonstrated in the past.

It means above all that these International Trading Houses or “sôgô shôsha” are some kind of indicator or sextant for business companies who tend to navigate in the current sea of clouds. What matters is to be patient and see in the long term and not be short-seeing limited. Crisis or not, they have 2 strengths that continue to grow: firstly, their resilience to risk through the diversification of their activities, and secondly, their ability to discover and exploit new needs and numerous profit opportunities in a wide variety of fields.

Despite wars, economic crises, tsunamis, earthquakes, or pandemics, the sôgô shôsha continue expanding as one-of-a-kind businesses because their positive attitude in the face of hardship makes them capable of constant renewal.

They are finally a model for any exporter currently iterating its business model. Stay patient, positive and as it is said in Japan “Fall seven times, stand up eight”