Furukawa Zaibatsu

This conglomerate was founded by mining magnate Furukawa Ichibei. It developed around copper production and processing at the Ashio Copper Mine. During Ichibei's time, Furukawa was the top copper producer in Japan, but on the other hand, it lagged behind in diversifying its operations. Furthermore, the Ashio Copper Mine Pollution Incident and Ichibei's death led to a decline in business management. However, during the economic boom of World War I, the company established new joint-stock companies such as Asahi Denka Kogyo, Yokohama Rubber Manufacturing (now Yokohama Rubber), Furukawa Bank, Furukawa Shoji, and Furukawa Mining (now Furukawa Co., Ltd.), and brought Teikoku Life Insurance (the predecessor of Asahi Life Insurance) under its umbrella, actively promoting diversification. Furukawa Shoji and Furukawa Bank were later dissolved, but their direct descendants, powerful companies such as Furukawa Electric, established Fuji Electric Manufacturing and Nippon Light Metals, which strengthened the heavy industry sector. As the company's business operations diversified, a holding company, Furukawa General Partnership, was established in 1917 (Taisho 6) to oversee the various businesses. However, in 1933 (Showa 8), Furukawa General Partnership took over the metals division of Furukawa Mining and changed its name to Furukawa Mining General Partnership. In 1937, a new Furukawa General Partnership was established, merging with Furukawa Mining General Partnership, and in 1941 it merged with Furukawa Coal Mining to become Furukawa Mining Co., Ltd. This rapid change in the head office structure and the fact that the operating companies were head offices were characteristic of the Furukawa zaibatsu, while Furukawa Mining's head office character was relatively weak, and the direct-affiliated companies had strong autonomy. At the end of the war, Furukawa Mining had 10 direct-affiliated companies, 13 collateral companies, and 60 quasi-collateral companies. After the zaibatsu was dissolved, the Furukawa Group saw remarkable success from companies such as the Fuji Electric Group, which was affiliated with Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., and Fujitsu.

[Kazuo Sugiyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鉱山王古河市兵衛(いちべえ)が創設した財閥。足尾銅山の産銅とその加工を中心に発展した。市兵衛時代、古河の産銅量は日本の首位になったが、反面、経営の多角化は立ち後れた。さらに足尾銅山鉱毒事件の発生や市兵衛の死などによって、その事業経営は消極的になった。しかし第一次世界大戦中の好況期には、旭(あさひ)電化工業、横浜護謨(ゴム)製造（現、横浜ゴム）、古河銀行、古河商事、古河鉱業（現、古河機械金属）などの新しい株式会社を創立し、帝国生命（朝日生命の前身）を傘下に収め、多角化を積極的に進めた。その後、古河商事、古河銀行は解散するに至ったが、直系の有力会社、古河電気工業が富士電機製造や日本軽金属などを設立し、これによって重工業部門が強化された。多角的事業経営の進行に伴い、1917年（大正6）には持株会社の古河合名が新設され、諸事業の総合的な統轄機関となった。しかし古河合名は1933年（昭和8）古河鉱業の金属部門を譲り受けて古河鉱業合名と改称。1937年には新たに古河合名が設立し、古河鉱業合名を合併、さらに1941年には古河石炭礦業(こうぎょう)を合併して古河鉱業株式会社となった。このように本社機構がめまぐるしく変化したこと、事業会社が本社であったことは古河財閥の特色であって、古河鉱業の本社的性格は相対的に弱く、直系会社の自主性が強かった。終戦時には古河鉱業のもとに直系会社10社、傍系会社13社、準傍系会社60社をもっていた。財閥解体後の古河グループでは古河電気工業系の富士電機グループ、富士通などの活躍が目覚ましい。

［杉山和雄］

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