The Role of the Merchant Class in Japanese History: A Case Study of the Mitsui Family (1639-1895)

The birth of the Mitsui family was a necessity in the historical development of Japan in the context of changes in social classes, in particular, the role of the merchant class is increasingly recognized by the government through the contributions of merchants to the economic development of the country, onward, the unstable political situation and complicated financial and monetary confusion when there are two types of money, old and new, circulating at the same time. The Mitsui family which specialized in foreign trade and monetary finance, was born to promptly meet the changing and developing needs of Japan at that time. The main research methods are historical and logical. Using historical methods, we began to research the origins of the Mitsui family and the process of development and transformation of the business model from feudal society to capitalism. The logical method is used to determine the characteristics and nature of the relationship between economics and political values when analyzing the role of the Mitsui family according to a system. This study clarifies the formation conditions, ownership characteristics, form of management, and fields of activity of the Mitsui family as well as analyzes the role of this family in the development of Japan during the period of capitalism.