Suzuki Shoten

A general trading company in the Taisho period. Founded around 1874 (Meiji 7) by Suzuki Iwajiro (1841-1894) in Kobe as a Western sugar dealer. After the acquisition of colonial Taiwan, under the direction of Suzuki's widow Yone (1952-1938) and head clerk Kaneko Naokichi, the company expanded into the trading and manufacturing of camphor and mint while maintaining close ties with the Taiwan Government-General's Office. In 1902 (Meiji 35), the company was reorganized as a limited partnership, and the following year Ozato Sugar Refinery was established, after which it rapidly diversified. It brought Kobe Steel, Japan Celluloid Artificial Silk (later Teijin), Taiwan Salt, Nippon Flour Mills, and Teikoku Breweries under its umbrella, and in 1909 it established Nippon Shogyo, and in 1916 (Taisho 5), it acquired Teikoku Kisen and Harima Shipyard. In 1917, its annual sales in trade reached 1.5 billion yen, surpassing those of Mitsui & Co. However, the company was burned down during the rice riots, and after the 1920 depression, its speculative management policy led to losses, and the deterioration of the performance of its affiliated businesses and the blow of the Great Kanto Earthquake led to increased dependence on the Bank of Taiwan. In 1924, the company separated the trading company Suzuki Shoten Co., Ltd. and turned Suzuki Gomyo into a holding company, and at the time it was said to be a huge conglomerate with 29 directly-affiliated companies and over 60 related companies. In 1926, the business of Nippon Flour Mills deteriorated, and the company further strengthened its collusion with the Bank of Taiwan, and in 1927 (Showa 2), when the relationship between the Bank of Taiwan and Suzuki was exposed over the processing of earthquake bills, the Bank of Taiwan, which was short of funds, decided to withdraw its loan to Suzuki, and Suzuki Shoten went bankrupt on April 2nd. Its operations were taken over by Nippon Shogyo Co., Ltd., which later became the forerunner of Nissho Iwai (now Sojitz).

[Tatsuki Mariko]

"Yoshio Katsura, 'The Origin of General Trading Companies: Suzuki Shoten' (Nikkei Shinsho)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大正期における総合商社。1874年（明治7）ごろ、神戸の鈴木岩治郎（1841―94）が洋糖引取商として創業。その未亡人よね（1952―1938）と大番頭金子直吉のもとで、植民地台湾領有後、台湾総督府との関係を密接にしつつ、樟脳(しょうのう)、ハッカの取引・製造に進出した。1902年（明治35）合名会社に改組、翌年大里製糖所設立、以後急速に多角化した。神戸製鋼所、日本セルロイド人造絹糸（後の帝人）、台湾塩業、日本製粉、帝国ビールなどを傘下に収め、また1909年日本商業、16年（大正5）帝国汽船設立、播磨(はりま)造船所買収、貿易取引でも17年には年商15億円に達し、三井物産をしのいだ。しかし、米騒動で焼打ちにあい、1920年恐慌以後は投機的経営方針が逆に損失を招き、傘下事業の業績悪化と、関東大震災の打撃で台湾銀行への依存を深めた。1924年商社鈴木商店（株）を分離して鈴木合名を持株会社化、当時、直系会社29社、関係会社60社以上といわれる一大コンツェルンであった。1926年日本製粉の経営悪化から台銀との癒着をさらに強め、27年（昭和2）震災手形の処理をめぐって台銀、鈴木の関係が暴露されると、資金に詰まった台銀が鈴木への貸付金引揚げを決定したため、4月2日鈴木商店は倒産。その営業は日本商業に引き継がれ、後の日商岩井（現双日(そうじつ)）の前身をなす。

［田付茉莉子］

『桂芳男著『総合商社の源流・鈴木商店』（日経新書）』

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