YANASE & CO., LTD. is Japan’s largest imported car dealer with a sales and service network encompassing around 240 locations and a customer base of over 200,000. It is also a long-established company, marking its 100th anniversary in 2015. YANASE currently handles eight automobile brands centered on German vehicles such as Mercedes-Benz, with sales of approximately 30,000 units (new cars) per year, which is a 13% share of the imported car market in Japan. In 2020, total unit sales of mainstay Mercedes-Benz vehicles recorded since Yanase began selling the brand in 1952 topped 1 million.
ITOCHU became a capital participant in YANASE in 2003. Since then, we have gradually increased our capital contribution ratio, and in the second quarter of FYE 2018 we converted the company to a consolidated subsidiary. ITOCHU is following the investment policy that prioritizes investment in carefully selected projects, centering on additional investments of existing businesses with a proven track record to further enhance the quality and efficiency of its assets. YANASE is an example of these efforts.

Going forward, ITOCHU will strengthen its alliance with YANASE, and strive to enhance existing businesses in Japan, including new and used car sales and after-sales services. At the same time, we aim to improve YANASE’s corporate value further by realizing synergies with ITOCHU’s expertise, human and financial resources.