The eight Japanese trading companies, also known as “sogo shosha”, are Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui Corporation, Hitachi Corporation, Itochu Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, Toyota Tsusho, and Sojitz Corporation. Together these firms reported nearly US$600 billion in assets under management in 2023.

These companies are global, with positions in key markets geographically, and are a unique group with a number of investments in water. Bluefield President and Podcast Host Reese Tisdale and Bluefield's Senior Analyst Ethan Edwards discuss three major questions surrounding the role of these companies within water:

"These are massive firms, almost battleships of organizations. They've been at it for so long that they've accumulated a wide network that spans globally. Together, they wield a significant influence across a wide network of industries."

--Ethan Edwards, Senior Analyst, Bluefield Research

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