Akiyama Takashi Shouten Co., Ltd. was established in July 15, 1919.

T. Akiyama & Co. developed with Akiyama Shouten founded on July 15, 1919 as its business roots. Akiyama Shouten’s main business was to supply leaf tobacco to Manchuria Tobacco Co., Ltd. and leaf and manufactured tobacco to the former Monopoly Bureau of the Ministry of Finance and the Governor General of Korea. Simultaneously, the company was in charge of exporting the Monopoly Bureau’s manufactured tobacco to the former Japanese mandates in the South Pacific. It established branch offices in Saipan, Palau, and other islands to undertake the import and export of not only tobacco but also general goods, medicinal/pharmaceutical products, and mechanical equipment.

Impact of World War II

However, since the trade business was halted due to the outbreak of World War II, the company devoted itself to developments in the South Pacific islands and moved its headquarters to Palau where the Nanyo Cho (Territorial Government of the South Seas) was located at their request. When World War II ended, the company was designated as a foreign enterprise, and under Cabinet Order No. 291, it was ordered to freeze and liquidate its assets.

T. Akiyama & Co. was established on August 17, 1950.

Later, as the company’s asset liquidation plan was approved under the Finance Bureau Notice No. 351 on July 6, 1950, we paid off debts, liquidized remaining assets, and established the current T. Akiyama & Co. as a new company on August 17 of the same year.
The new company directly inherited the former company’s business details and purposes and supplied goods, such as imported tobacco leaves and glycerin, to the former Japanese Monopoly Corporation (Now, Japan Tobacco Inc.). Moreover, we established our position as a specialized trading company dealing in comprehensive tobacco-related merchandize, such as the sale of chemical products, sugars, and fragrances, including CMC, propylene glycol, organic acid, and surfactants; import and sale of physical property measuring filters and smoking devices; and import and wholesale distribution of agricultural machinery and manufactured tobacco. Furthermore, we have expanded our business into fields unrelated to tobacco and undertook the sale of starch and food ingredients. The company has been recognized for its business performance in these respective fields, and this recognition continues till date.