Sojitz Conducts Partial Transfer of Shares Held in Sojitz Senpaku Corporation

Sojitz Corporation (“Sojitz”) has announced it will transfer a portion of issued shares held in Sojitz Senpaku Corporation (“Sojitz Senpaku”), a fully owned subsidiary of Sojitz, to ORIX Corporation (“ORIX”) and SHOEI KISEN KAISHA, LTD. (“Shoei Kisen”). Sojitz has concluded separate share transfer agreements with both companies as of March 17, 2025.

Sojitz Group has over 70 years of experience in the marine vessel business. Sojitz boasts a team of specialized experts skilled in marine vessel operation and management, and the company possesses an expansive network that includes shipowners in Japan, Greece, and greater Europe. Sojitz leverages its strong relationships with shipyards in Japan and has a demonstrated track record in the marine vessel trading business, which includes the purchase and sale of new and secondhand vessels, ship chartering, sale and leaseback, freight transport, and vessel management. As announced in a previous TSE disclosure (“Notice Regarding Corporate Split of Marine Vessel Trading Business (Simple Absorption-type Split)”) dated January 23, 2025, Sojitz is working to optimize business operations for the entirety of Sojitz Group and build business partnerships in order to expand the scale of business and to effectively leverage the capabilities of specialized personnel in the field. In line with these objectives, Sojitz established Sojitz Senpaku on February 12, with the effective date of the split set for March 31. The new company name after the split will be "Somec Corporation."

ORIX expands diversified financial services with over 50 years of experience in the ship business. ORIX handles a wide range of ship businesses (including ship investment (owning and operations), purchase and sales, brokerage, and international ship financing) and continues to expand its ship businesses further. Shoei Kisen is a group company of Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., which is one of the largest shipbuilding companies in Japan. Shoei Kisen is engaged in a ship leasing business and operates as a ship owner providing vessels to major maritime transport companies in Japan and overseas.

Japan’s maritime industry is part of a globally unique market distinguished for its broad range of businesses that span shipbuilding and manufacturing of marine equipment to ship chartering, leasing, and financing. In addition, the industry is in the process of adapting to changes such the growing scale of investment, diversifying fleets, and globalization. Through this capital alliance, Sojitz Senpaku will explore partnerships with maritime-related companies including shipbuilding and ship-owning companies, build a system to supply diverse services that extend beyond existing ship chartering, and contribute to the development of the maritime industry.

Contact: Sojitz Corporation Public Relations Dept.　hodo@sojitz.com