Background
Chube Ito was born in 1842 in Omi Province, Shiga Prefecture, Japan in a family who were drapers for generations.
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Chube Ito
Edit Profile忠兵衞 伊藤
Career
Chube Ito began life as a commercial traveler together with his uncle (1857). After making good, he established shops in Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu. After the Meiji Restoration Chube Ito opened the Benichu Store (predecessor of Itochu Commercial Co.) in Osaka, and began exporting embroidery, straw mats, etc. (1885). Later he opened a branch in San Francisco. After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) he founded Nitto Company to trade with China.
