ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Keita Ishii, President & COO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it has concluded a business partnership agreement in food-related sectors with CJ CheilJedang Corporation (headquartered in Seoul, South Korea; Sin Ho Kang, CEO; hereinafter “CJ CheilJedang”).

CJ CheilJedang is a major Korean food company producing and selling frozen foods, Korean seasonings and other foodstuffs. It sells products in over 60 countries worldwide, occupying the leading share of the markets for frozen dumplings in South Korea and North America. In Japan, CJ CheilJedang markets the bibigo brand of frozen dumplings, gimbap and other foods and the Micho brand of vinegar drinks. Through its Japanese subsidiary, CJ CheilJedang is establishing a frozen dumpling factory in Chiba prefecture in September 2025 as it seeks to expand its share in Japan.

In Japan, Korean Wave is gaining momentum again, mainly among the younger generation, reflecting the influence from K-Pop, Korean dramas and social media influencers. Besides Korean cosmetics and fashion, Korean food is increasingly attracting interest. Consequently, the market for Korean food ingredients in Japan is expanding and is expected to keep growing.

Through this partnership, ITOCHU will cooperate with CJ CheilJedang in discussing the delivery of raw materials to CJ CheilJedang, the expansion of product sales in Japan, South Korea and the global market, the development of new products and the creation of new businesses.

ITOCHU has set its management policy with this theme: The Brand-new Deal – opportunities are shifting downstream –. Through this partnership, we will provide products and services from the “market-oriented perspective” and will continue to strengthen our earnings platform in the consumer sector where our strength lies.