Sakhalin kelp being dried in the sun

Last year, Mitsubishi Corporation Hokkaido Branch imported dried kelp (konbu) from the Russian island of Sakhalin for the first time and then sold the kelp to the Hokkaido Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (HFFCA) on December 14, 2009. Prior to the sale, the quality of the kelp was confirmed through an inspection conducted together with HFFCA; BINOM (a supplier) and other interested parties.
Japanese kelp production has been declining due to global warming and Sakhalin is now seen as a potential supplier of marine products. Kelp is essential for Japanese cooking, especially for its use in flavoring soup broths, and concerns about waning kelp supplies have been growing among people in the food industry. Amidst such circumstances, the Hokkaido Branch sees this venture as having special social significance because of the way it will help to sustain Japanese food culture.
The scale of the business is still small, but we look forward to further developing the venture in the years ahead.

MC agreed to a comprehensive business alliance in the medical business with Mediceo Paltac Holdings Co., Ltd., Japan's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler. Major joint projects in progress are: (i) joint investigation for the establishment of a pharmaceutical distribution business in China; (ii) the integrated joint supply processing and distribution service of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment and supplies for hospitals; (iii) joint development of private brand products and related activities. MC has expertise in the management support business for hospitals, while Mediceo Paltac Holdings has a proven track record in the pharmaceutical distribution field. The alliance will leverage these respective advantages to respond to the needs of hospitals and society in a changing medical industry by conducting new businesses involving pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and medical supplies.

MC is jointly investing together with construction firms and other companies in accordance with the provisions of the PFI Act (The Act on Promotion of Private Finance Initiative) and through Komagome SPC, Inc., a special purpose company (SPC). The decrepit Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospitalis being renovated, while hospital operations continue. This 17-year project aims to improve the hospital’s functions while providing ongoing administrative and operational services.
This project, a hospital PFI business is the first project of its kind in Japan in terms of carrying out renovations while continuing hospital operations. MC, as the major investor in the SPC dispatched two people to the SPC, including one to fill the position of chief executive officer, and it undertakes the management of the entire project (including design, construction, peripheral medical services, and hospital management support). By participating in the project, MC is making a positive contribution to Tokyo and the welfare of its citizens by combining its extensive know-how accumulated up until now with the sagacity of a cooperative corporate group.

Responding to the needs of companies across Japan that rent equipment under the nursing care insurance scheme, Nippon Care Supply has steadily expanded its business by creating a unique nursing care equipment wholesale and rental service business model. Seizing on opportunities created by April 2006 amendments to the nursing care insurance program, Nippon Care Supply intends to expand the reach of its operations into new home-based nursing care services and product sales businesses that target active seniors. To be conducted in partnership and cooperation with operators and regional medical institutions, these businesses signal efforts by Nippon Care Supply to bolster operations to help seniors lead healthy lifestyles with peace of mind.

Create Restaurants Inc. develops and operates restaurants and food courts. Adhering to its unique strategy of multi-brand and multi-location, it caters to various consumer tastes in many types of locations throughout Japan. As of February 28, 2009, it was operating 389 establishments under 121 different brands. Established in 1997, this MC affiliate has grown steadily and in September 2005 conducted its initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Mothers market. Restaurants recently opened by Create Restaurants include the following: four restaurants within Aeon LakeTown such as "Kagona," a restaurant specializing in cooked-at-the-table hotpots; the wholly-managed "Garden FOODCOURT" inside Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens; and in joint venture with a Chinese company, "Nanxian Mantou Dian" in Shanghai.

Metal Fight Beyblade

A Beyblade is a modern spinning-top toy that was first released by TAKARA Co., Ltd. (now TOMY Co., Ltd.) in 1999. A TV anime series in 2001, produced by d-rights Inc., wholly-owned subsidiary of MC, has gained strong popularity. In addition to the TV series that has had a long run of three years, a film version has also been released. Inspired by the anime series, kids across the globe have embraced the concept of participating in beyblade tournaments with real-life beyblades. d-rights Inc. held such tournaments in more than 100 countries and regions worldwide. In 2004, the top players of national tournaments of eight countries converged on Times Square, New York to compete in an international tournament, which was a tremendous success. A new TV series called "Metal Fight Beyblade" is scheduled to be aired in April, 2009 in Japan.

Japan is dependant on imports from overseas for approximately 75% of domestic grain demand with products such as corn and soy beans. The U.S.A. is our largest grain importing partner, and since the early 70's in addition to its traditionally existing grain import business, Mitsubishi Corporation has been working to strengthen its grain collection business in the U.S.' s bread basket region, beginning with AGREX, Inc. In June 2007, we made U.S.A., Ohio-based grain collections and sales company FGDI a full subsidiary of AGREX, Inc. With these two companies at the core of our operations, we will expand further our grain collections and import business and make efforts to contribute to the stable supply of food grains to Japan.

MC Coffee do Brasil Ltda (MCCB) is a wholly owned subsidiary and a coffee exporter that was set up in 1995 in the city of Santos, Brazil. MCCB exports coffee to Japan, U.S.A., and Europe as an essential company in the value chain of Mitsubishi Corporation for the coffee business. In order to respond to growing consumer demand for "the safety and reliability of food products" ahead of our competitors we have newly set up a computer-controlled, fully automated factory for bean selection and sorting. MCCB considers coffee a "differentiated product", not a commodity, and we will continue to supply tailor-made coffee that matches the taste and preference of our customers.

In the Textiles Division, we are expanding our business to supply clothing and miscellaneous goods aimed mainly at S.P.A. businesses (retail manufacturers) and major domestic apparel companies with comprehensive services from product plan proposals to materials procurement, production control management, logistics and delivery. Twice each year we hold the "Mitsubishi Corporation Apparel Exhibition" as a forum for communicating corporate plans and information to our customers. At the exhibition we introduce original designs and materials, coordination and popular-selling items, etc., and many customers come each time. The exhibition develops each time, and even now we receive appreciation from many of our customers. We will continue working to improve the quality of the exhibition.

Under its corporate philosophy, "Best Solution for Your Life," Mitsubishi Shoji Packaging Corporation aims to realize a society that is environmentally-friendly, comfortable and convenient, as well as safe and reliable through its development and sale of product packaging and containers, corrugated fiberboard and paper and paperboard products. The company strives to develop optimal packaging products and systems that are both environmentally-friendly and meet ever-changing market and customer needs. It also strives to provide total solutions from raw material procurement to processing and delivery. Since 2005, it has worked on developing products such as shopping bags and coffee muddlers made mainly from old rice that cannot be used for consumption and even started selling them on the market. Constantly thinking of consumer sentiment and contribution to social environment, the company will continue its activities in the packaging business with the motto, "embrace and wrap up the precious hearts of our customers."