The ITOCHU Group declares that the spirit of “Sampo-yoshi” (which in Japanese means “good for all three parties”: good for the seller, good for the buyer, and good for society) is our new corporate mission, based on the philosophy of our founder, Chubei Itoh I.

This spirit has been passed down from ITOCHU s founding in 1858 to the present day, and we will continue to uphold it in the future.

“urite-yoshi” (“good for the seller”)

“kaite-yoshi” (“good for the buyer”)

“seken-yoshi” (“good for society”)

We seek not only to make a profit, but also to help address social issues, in line with the trust and expectations placed in us by our customers, shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders. Through the entrepreneurial spirit of «Sampo-yoshi», ITOCHU aims to have a positive and lasting social impact and contribute to a sustainable society for all.

*Historical note: The concept of “Sampo-yoshi” dates back to the merchants of Ohmi, now Shiga Prefecture. They were allowed to trade in the regions they visited because they did not focus solely on “urite-yoshi” (“good for the seller”) and the “kaite-yoshi” (“good for the buyer”), but also to contribute to the economy of these regions, or “seken-yoshi” (“good for society”), which forms the basis of our current sustainability. The phrase is said to originate from the personal motto of our founder, Chubei Itoh I: «Trade is a compassionate business. It is noble when it conforms to the spirit of Buddha, benefiting both sellers and buyers and satisfying the needs of society.”.

As part of our efforts to increase understanding of “Sampo-yoshi” Globally, we have created the following video and article in collaboration with Bloomberg, available at the links below.