History

Corporate History

1867 (Keio 3): The company was founded by Kobe Hamanaka, an organization of port laborers who were exclusively responsible for transporting cargo at the cargo handling facility of Hyogo Port (Kobe Port).
1873 (Meiji 6): Renamed Kamigumi Hamachū (because when Kobe Hamachū was split into two, it mainly operated in the area above Kobe Port).
February 1882 (Meiji 15): The "Kobe Port Upper Group Dock Control Regulations" were established as rules for the operation and regulation of the organization.
July 1899 (Meiji 32): The organization established "membership rules" that define the ownership of its assets and the rules for issuing securities for fundraising.
May 1906 (Meiji 39): The above-mentioned cooperative was established with a capital of 200,000 yen.
1909 (Meiji 42): We have opened our first branch office outside of Kobe, the Chikko Branch Office, in Osaka.
March 1911 (Meiji 44): "General Agreement Regulations for All Members" were established.
1919 (Taisho 8): He became an officially licensed freight forwarding agent for the Railway Board (later the Ministry of Railways) and opened branches in Sumiyoshi and Amagasaki.
1921 (Taisho 10): Branch offices were opened at Minatomachi Station and Ajigawa Station in Osaka to handle rail freight.
January 1922 (Taisho 11): A branch office has been opened in Moji to handle the handling of Taiwanese produce arriving at Kanmon Port.
May 1923 (Taisho 12): They handle all aspects of unloading bananas transported from Taiwan in mainland Japan. To this end, they have established branch offices in Hakodate and Otaru.
June 1923 (Taisho 12): We took over all operations of Nagoya Kamigumi Transport and opened a Nagoya branch.
September 1923 (Taisho 12): A Tokyo branch office was established to handle relief supplies and reconstruction materials following the Great Kanto Earthquake.
November 1925 (Taisho 14): The head office has been newly constructed and relocated to its current location in Hamabe-cho, Fukiai-ku (now Chuo-ku).
April 1927 (Showa 2): We took over the business of Yokohama Transport Co., Ltd. and established a Yokohama branch.
1927 (Showa 2): We have opened a branch office in Hirosaki to handle the transportation of Aomori apples.
1929 (Showa 4): Kanazawa Branch Office Opened
1935 (Showa 10): Miyazu Branch Office Opened
1936 (Showa 11): Amagasaki Branch Office Opened
July 1937 (Showa 12): Hirohata Branch Office Opened
1941 (Showa 16): Port transportation business transferred to each port control company.
August 1942 (Showa 17): We have opened a Sumatra office and are undertaking port cargo handling operations on Sumatra Island.
April 1943 (Showa 18): South Sumatra Port Company was established. It took over the operations of the Sumatra branch office (which closed at the end of the war in 1945).
November 1943 (Showa 18): Established Higashi Kobe Shipbuilding & Iron Works (now Kamix)
February 1947 (Showa 22): Kamigumi Doboku was established to handle the transportation and packaging of reparations facilities commissioned by GHQ, and to restore and rebuild its own facilities damaged by the disaster.

September 1948 (Showa 23): The company name was changed to Kamitsu Limited Partnership.
July 1950 (Showa 25): Obtained freight forwarding business licenses for three stations: Kobe Port, Hyogo Port, and Minatogawa.
1950 (Showa 25): Obtained a general area freight trucking business license.
February 1951 (Showa 26): Moji Branch opens Tokuyama Sub-office
1951 (Showa 26): We have applied for registration for our port transportation business at each of our head office and branch offices and will resume operations.
March 1952 (Showa 27): Yokohama Branch opens Hiranuma Sub-office
April 1952 (Showa 27): The trade name was restored to the above-mentioned partnership company.
1952 (Showa 27): The Moji branch obtained licenses for Ishihara-machi Station, Higashi-Kokura Station, and Moji-Sotohama Station, and began freight forwarding operations.
September 1953 (Showa 28): The Osaka branch has opened a Wakayama sub-office and begun export operations.
November 1954 (Showa 29): Obtained permission to issue warehouse receipts at Kobe Port
1954 (Showa 29): Maruko Shipping was established.
1957 (Showa 32): The Osaka branch has opened a Kanzakigawa sub-office and has begun handling coal and raw ore.
1959 (Showa 34): Osaka branch opens Sakai sub-office.
July 1959 (Showa 34): Moji Branch opens Yawata Sub-branch.

February 1961 (Showa 36): Nagoya branch opens Tokai branch office
August 1961 (Showa 36): The Land Transportation Department, the Transportation Division, and the Automobile Division were integrated to establish Kamigumi Land Transportation as a company specializing in freight trucking.
June 1962 (Showa 37): Moji Branch opens Hakata Sub-office
February 1964 (Showa 39): Fukuyama branch office opened for the transportation of construction materials.
January 1965 (Showa 40): Kamigumi Doboku Co., Ltd. absorbed Kamigumi Subsidiary Company and changed its trade name to Kamigumi Co., Ltd. This established the current Kamigumi.
March 1968 (Showa 43): Container division established, Skandutchi begins handling container cargo on its European routes.
November 1968 (Showa 43): The cotton division was separated, and Kamigumi Cotton Transportation was established.
January 1969 (Showa 44): Kamigumi Shipping was established as a joint venture company to conduct domestic shipping operations.
December 1969 (Showa 44): We have opened an Oita branch to handle contract work related to construction.
March 1971 (Showa 46): Osaka listed its shares on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
October 1971 (Showa 46): We have opened our first overseas base, a representative office in Singapore.
1971 (Showa 46): Established Kobe Kosan, a company that provides non-life insurance agency services (later renamed Kamigumi Kosan).
January 1972 (Showa 47): Dodwell Kamigumi Air Cargo was established as a joint venture with Dodwell (now Kamigumi Air Services), and began operations, taking over all of Dodwell's air cargo operations.
February 1972 (Showa 47): Osaka listed its shares on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
1972 (Showa 47): In partnership with Flacht, we launched the Siberian Land Bridge project, Kamigumi's first international multimodal transport service.
March 1973 (Showa 48): We opened a representative office in Düsseldorf, West Germany.
May 1973 (Showa 48): We have opened a representative office in Jakarta, Indonesia.
June 1973 (Showa 48): Nisshin Sugar and Snow Brand Milk Products (now Snow Brand Megmilk) established Nippon Port Industries as a joint venture.
September 1973 (Showa 48): Fukuoka branch opens Kagoshima sub-office.
October 1975 (Showa 50): Izumi Packaging Works was established (now Izumi Sangyo) to handle packaging work within factories.
1977 (Showa 52): Overseas Business Headquarters established at Tokyo Branch
May 1979 (Showa 54): We have secured the contract for the construction of the El Hajar Steelworks No. 2, our first overseas plant construction project.
August 1979 (Showa 54): Izumi Packaging Works changes its company name to Izumi Sangyo.
March 1980 (Showa 55): Kanazawa Transport, a transportation partner company, was made a subsidiary and its trade name was changed to Shinsei Transport (now Kamitsu Transport).
April 1981 (Showa 56): The Heavy Engineering Department and the Mechanical Engineering Department were merged to form the Heavy Mechanical Engineering Department.
March 1982 (Showa 57): The Heavy Machinery Division opens a branch office in Hamaoka.
July 1982 (Showa 57): The Heavy Machinery Department has been renamed the Heavy Machinery Headquarters.
October 1982 (Showa 57): We have established a joint venture company, Kamigumi Singapore Pte. Ltd., in Singapore.
June 1983 (Showa 58): Kamigumi Multi-Trans Sdn. Bhd. is a joint venture in Malaysia.
(Currently: Kamigumi (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.) was established.
October 1983 (Showa 58): The Kobe Branch and the Port Operations Division were established. The head office structure and business divisions were clearly separated, and a business division system was established.
June 1984 (Showa 59): Kamigumi USA Inc. was established in Los Angeles, California, USA.
September 1984 (Showa 59): Fukuoka branch opens Shibushi sub-office.
February 1985 (Showa 60): Opened an office in Beijing, China.
June 1985 (Showa 60): We have established a subsidiary company, Shangguan (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd., in Hong Kong.
October 1985 (Showa 60): The Tsurusaki branch office has been merged into the Oita branch office.
November 1986 (Showa 61): The Export Business Division will be dissolved and replaced with the International Business Division.
July 1987 (Showa 62): Hirohata Branch opens Himeji Sub-office
July 1988 (Showa 63): We established a local subsidiary, KG Distribution Inc., in California, USA.
August 1988 (Showa 63): Established a joint venture in Taiwan, Taiwan Kamigumi Air Cargo Transportation Co., Ltd. (currently Taiwan Kamigumi Co., Ltd.)
November 1988 (Showa 63): Established a joint venture company, Thai Logistics Co., Ltd., in Thailand.
July 1989 (Heisei 1): Tokyo branch office opened
October 1989 (Heisei 1): Higashi Kobe Shipbuilding & Iron Works changes its name to Kamix.
1989 (Heisei 1): The fiscal year end has been changed from September to March.

April 1990 (Heisei 2): A Construction Machinery Department was established within the Heavy Machinery Division.
August 1990 (Heisei 2): Tamashima Branch Office Opened
December 1990 (Heisei 2): We established a joint venture company in Thailand, Eastern Sea Laem Chabang Terminal Co., Ltd. (ESCO).
July 1991 (Heisei 3): The Construction Division separated from the Heavy Machinery Division and established the Construction Machinery Division.
October 1991 (Heisei 3): The International Business Division was divided into the Keihin International and Hanshin International Business Divisions.
March 1992 (Heisei 4): The new head office building (currently the main store building) was completed, and a completion ceremony and reception party were held.
October 1992 (Heisei 4): Niigata branch opened in Niigata East Port area.
November 1992 (Heisei 4): Heavy Machinery Division opens Tsuruga branch office in Fukui Prefecture.
November 1992 (Heisei 4): We established a joint venture company in China, Dalian Shunda Integrated Logistics Co., Ltd.
November 1992 (Heisei 4): Completion of the Tokyo Branch Office Building (currently the Tokyo Head Office Building)
December 1992 (Heisei 4): Kamitsu Kosan was established for the purpose of asset management of the Kamigumi Group.
June 1993 (Heisei 5): Kamigumi acquired 100% of the shares of Oita Port Transportation and made it a subsidiary of the company.
February 1994 (Heisei 6): Osaka branch opens Takamatsu sub-office.
July 1994 (Heisei 6): Toyohashi Branch Opened
November 1994 (Heisei 6): We have opened a representative office (Shanghai office) in Shanghai, China.
January 1995 (Heisei 7): Hanshin International Business Headquarters begins international multimodal transport operations. First 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) business.
February 1995 (Heisei 7): We established a joint venture company, Vietonam-Japan International Transport Co., Ltd. (VIJACO), in Vietnam.
February 1995 (Heisei 7): Kamix absorbs and merges with Kamitsu Kogyo.
April 1995 (Heisei 7): Yokohama branch opens Kawasaki sub-office.
May 1995 (Heisei 7): Fukuoka branch opens Yatsushiro sub-office.
June 1995 (Heisei 7): We established a joint venture company in China, Shanghai Shanggu Logistics Co., Ltd.
October 1995 (Heisei 7): Fukuyama Branch opens Onomichi Sub-office
October 1995 (Heisei 7): Hanshin International Business Headquarters opens Toyokawa branch office.
July 1996 (Heisei 8): We established a joint venture company in China, Tianjin Toyota International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd. (now Tianjin Toyota Logistics Co., Ltd.).
December 1996 (Heisei 8): Heavy Machinery Construction Division opens Rokkasho office
January 1997 (Heisei 9): Sakaiminato Branch Opened
January 1997 (Heisei 9): Tomakomai branch opened.
June 1998 (Heisei 10): We established a joint venture company, Lima Logiatics Service Co., Ltd., in the Philippines.
April 2000 (Heisei 12): The Heavy Machinery Division will be split into the Heavy Energy Transportation Division and the Construction Machinery Division.
November 2000 (Heisei 12): Kamix absorbs Kamigumi Cotton Transport.
2000 (Heisei 12): Around this time, we began to seriously commercialize 3PL and SCM services, which encompass everything from product storage and management to domestic and international integrated transportation.
October 2001 (Heisei 13): The Toyohashi branch has begun motor pool operations at Kanno-Nishi Wharf, entering the imported automobile handling business.
March 2002 (Heisei 14): Kashima Branch opens Hitachinaka Sub-office in Ibaraki Prefecture.
March 2003 (Heisei 15): Dodwell's shares in Kamigumi Aviation Services will be acquired, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Kamigumi.
April 2003 (Heisei 15): Kamigumi Kobe Container Terminal (KGKT), the industry's first port operator-operated facility, opens at Port Island PC-18.
May 2003 (Heisei 15): We established a joint venture company in China, Shangzu (Dongguan) Freight Transport Co., Ltd.
February 2004 (Heisei 16): Kamigumi Tokyo Container Terminal (KGTT) opens on the inner side of the Central Breakwater in Tokyo Port.
This will be the second terminal operated solely by the company, following Kobe Port.
July 2004 (Heisei 16): Tokyo Head Office Established
December 2004 (Heisei 16): Established subsidiary Kamigumi International Freight Agency (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. in China.
December 2005 (Heisei 17): We opened an office in Wuxi, China.
November 2006 (Heisei 18): We have established a basic policy regarding environmental protection and safety management as a logistics company.
November 2006 (Heisei 18): Opening of a Dubai branch in the United Arab Emirates.
October 2007 (Heisei 19): Kamigumi Co., Ltd. establishes its Corporate Code of Conduct.
February 2008 (Heisei 20): Marubeni establishes Tokachi Grain Center, a joint venture with Pacific Grain Center.
August 2008 (Heisei 20): Established a joint venture company in China, Fengtong Shanggumi (Changshu) Co., Ltd.
April 2009 (Heisei 21): The Nagoya branch will separate its sales functions for the Nagoya area and open a new Nagoya branch office.
April 2009 (Heisei 21): The Keihin International Business Headquarters and the Hanshin International Business Headquarters have been merged to form the International Logistics Business Headquarters.
June 2009 (Heisei 21): Kamigumi opens its first base in the Tohoku region: the Sendai branch of its Tokyo office.
April 2010 (Heisei 22): We have established the Sunny Place Business Division and officially launched our real estate business.
April 2010 (Heisei 22): Oita Port Transportation establishes agricultural corporation Sunny Place Farm and signs agreement with Saiki City, Oita Prefecture.
July 2010 (Heisei 22): Shangzu International Freight Forwarding Agency (Shanghai) established.
October 2010 (Heisei 22): Established a US business headquarters.
December 2010 (Heisei 22): Kamix acquires all shares of Iwakawa Brewing, making it a subsidiary.

April 2011 (Heisei 23): The Heavy Energy Transportation Division and the Construction Machinery Division have merged to form the Heavy Energy Transportation Business Division.
June 2011 (Heisei 23): The Director of Kobe Customs approved me as a "Specified Bonded Warehouse Operator" under the AEO system, and I became an AEO business operator.
June 2011 (Heisei 23): We have opened a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
July 2011 (Heisei 23): Established a joint venture company in China, TEDA (Tianjin) Reiji Logistics Co., Ltd.
September 2011 (Heisei 23): We have opened a representative office in Bangladesh.
January 2012 (Heisei 24): We have established a subsidiary company, Shangguan (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd., in Hong Kong.
February 2012 (Heisei 24): Opened an office in Seoul, South Korea.
July 2012 (Heisei 24): We have opened an office in Yangon, Myanmar.
December 2012 (Heisei 24): The Port Island Integrated Logistics Center (KPID) produce building has been completed in Kobe, consolidating and integrating the produce center functions of Uozaki and Hyogo.
January 2013 (Heisei 25): Overseas Business Division established
February 2013 (Heisei 25): We have installed solar power generation panels on the roof of the Kamigumi Logistics Center (KLC) and started our solar power generation business.
April 2013 (Heisei 25): We have established a joint venture company, Kamigumi (Vietnam) CO., Ltd., in Vietnam.
April 2013 (Heisei 25): Established a Domestic Sales Strategy Office.
April 2013 (Heisei 25): Kyushu Branch Office Established
June 2013 (Heisei 25): Established a sales headquarters.
October 2013 (Heisei 25): Established the Feed and Grains Business Division.
December 2013 (Heisei 25): We established a joint venture company, PT. Kamigumi Indonesia, in Indonesia.
January 2014 (Heisei 26): Certified as an "Authorized Economic Operator (AEO)" by the Director of Kobe Customs.
April 2014 (Heisei 26): Joint trucking venture incorporated in Myanmar: Kamigumi-EFR Logistis (Myanmar) Co., Ltd.
November 2014 (Heisei 26): Established a subsidiary in Indonesia: PT. Kamigumi Logistics Indonesia
September 2015 (Heisei 27): We have established a subsidiary in Malaysia, Kamigumi Global Solutions Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (KGSM).
October 2015 (Heisei 27): We have established a joint venture company, Thilawa Global Logistics Co., Ltd. (TGL), in Myanmar.
October 2015 (Heisei 27): We have established a subsidiary in Mexico, Kamigumi Mexico SA de CV (KGMEX).
December 2015 (Heisei 27): PT. Kamigumi Logistics Indonesia, a subsidiary in Indonesia, begins operations at its new warehouse.
April 2016 (Heisei 28): The Tsuruga Branch will be integrated into the Heavy Energy Transportation Business Headquarters. It will be renamed the Tsuruga Business Office of the Headquarters.
May 2016 (Heisei 28): The Hachinohe branch office was opened. Along with the Sendai branch office of the Tokyo branch, it became the central base for Kamigumi in the Tohoku region.
April 2017 (Heisei 29): Celebrating its 150th anniversary
December 2017 (Heisei 29): We established a joint venture company, International Bulk Terminal (Thilawa) Co., Ltd. (IBTT), in Myanmar.
January 2018 (Heisei 30): Mercedes-Benz Japan acquires Hitachi VPC business and makes it a subsidiary under the name MB Services Japan.
January 2018 (Heisei 30): Kamigumi Middle East LLC has been established as a subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi).
May 2019 (Reiwa 1): Kamigumi opens Hanoi branch in Vietnam.
April 2020 (Reiwa 2): The Overseas Business Strategy Division has been renamed to the Overseas Business Division.
September 2020 (Reiwa 2): The Construction Division of the Heavy Energy Transportation Business Headquarters has been integrated into the Sunny Place Business Division.
June 2020 (Reiwa 2): Kamigumi Indonesia opens Tarahan branch.
April 2022 (Reiwa 3): Listing shares on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
June 2023 (Reiwa 5): We acquired 100% of the shares of Light Construction and made it a subsidiary of Kamigumi.
October 2023 (Reiwa 5): Kamigumi Group formulates human rights policy
November 2023 (Reiwa 5): Sustainability Committee established
November 2023 (Reiwa 5): Kamigumi Group formulates anti-corruption policy
January 2024 (Reiwa 6): Kamigumi USA opens Los Angeles branch.
April 2024 (Reiwa 6): A new energy business division has been established within the heavy energy transport business division.
June 2024 (Reiwa 6): Entering the grid-based battery storage business
March 2025 (Reiwa 7): Established a local subsidiary in India, Kamigumi (INDIA) Pvt. Ltd.
June 2025 (Reiwa 7): Kamigumi USA opens Savannah branch.
November 2025 (Reiwa 7): Kamigumi acquired shares in Saurashtra Freight Pvt. Ltd. and made it a subsidiary.