Nichibei United Corporation

Nichibei United Corporation (日米ユナイテッド株式会社) is a Japanese petroleum trading and energy services company headquartered in Nishi-ku, Osaka. It was founded on 15 July 1898 as Nichibei Kōyu Gōshi Kaisha (日米礦油合資会社), a limited partnership established in Osaka by seven investors on the recommendation of Kawaguchi Heijirō, a Japanese executive of the Kobe branch of Standard Oil of New York. The name 'Nichibei' (Japan–America) reflected its role as a distributor of American petroleum products. The company began as a special agent for New York Standard Oil and later signed special sales agreements with Nippon Oil and Hōden Oil, expanding its sales network across Japan. Over its long history, Nichibei Kōyu grew from a struggling oil distributor into a nationwide petroleum trading house. It established branch offices and sales outlets throughout Japan, set up oil refineries and blending plants, and expanded into Taiwan, mainland China, Korea and Manchuria before and during the wartime period. In 1942, under wartime controls, the company was renamed Nippon Yūgyō Co., Ltd. and split into two entities, with its overseas and Kantō sales networks transferred to Nippon Jūyu. After the war, it restored the Nichibei Kōyu name in 1945 and continued to rebuild its business, merging with Fuji Kōyu in 1953 and establishing subsidiaries in oil, gas, leasing and information services. Today, Nichibei United operates as a 'comprehensive petroleum trading company' and a super dealer under a special agent contract with ENEOS, Japan's largest oil refiner and marketer. Its business spans the sale of petroleum products, petrochemicals and LP gas; operation of service stations; solicitation for non-life and life insurance; and rental services for machine parts cleaning equipment. It also offers industrial lubricants, solvents, oil adsorbents, oil treatment agents, printing press cleaners, cleaning-related products and environmentally friendly asphalt adhesion preventives for factories and specialized fields, as well as gas-related services, home renovation, fuel cells (Ene-Farm), solar power and insurance for general households and businesses. The company is privately held, with capital of 255 million yen and annual sales of 39.33 billion yen for the fiscal year ended March 2026. It employs 421 people and is led by President Akihiko Ōta. In 2023, marking its 125th anniversary, it changed its name from Nichibei Kōyu Co., Ltd. to Nichibei United Corporation. In 2026 it spun off its coffee farm business into a separate agricultural corporation, Wagokoro Coffee Co., Ltd. The company also maintains a corporate character duo, Enekichi and Korobei, and has been expanding its environmental and new business initiatives.

The history of Nichibei United Corporation begins in the late 19th century, when the petroleum industry was still in its infancy. The company was founded on 15 July 1898 in Osaka as Nichibei Kōyu Gōshi Kaisha (日米礦油合資会社), a limited partnership established by seven investors: Takatsu Eima, Morita Mankichi, Kakizaki Yoshizō, Masuda Yoneshichi, Tamate Hiroyuki, Kita Seiichirō and Honma Jūkei. The founding was prompted by Kawaguchi Heijirō, a Japanese executive at the Kobe branch of Standard Oil of New York, who encouraged the establishment of a special agent for the American oil giant. The name 'Nichibei' (Japan–America) was chosen because the company handled American petroleum products. In its early years, the company struggled. The seven investors continued to run their own businesses, and the manager Kita handled Nichibei's sales only as a side job. Most products sold were machine oils, with little kerosene, and Standard Oil's products were expensive, appealing mainly to devotees of imported goods. The business ran at a monthly loss. As a countermeasure, in October 1898 the company invited Makino Yahei, owner of Makino Kōyu-ten, as deputy manager and absorbed his business. After personnel changes and Makino's appointment as manager, performance improved. The company then embarked on aggressive expansion. In December 1899 it established the Niigata Refinery by leasing a facility and entrusting refining to Hayama Yosaburō. In March 1900 it set up a branch in Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, to serve the Chikuhō coalfield's demand for axle oil. In September 1904 it established a petroleum dissolving plant in Osaka for refining castor oil and blending lubricants. In November 1908 it opened a Tokyo branch in Senju, which was destroyed in the Yoshihara fire of 1911 and relocated to Honjo Matsui-chō. In 1909 the company signed a special sales agreement with Nippon Oil for its Osaka head office and Wakamatsu branch, and in 1912 its Tokyo branch contracted with Hōden Oil. In 1916 it merged with Hayama's Niigata Refinery to make it a directly operated refinery, though it sold it back to Hayama in 1922 due to supply-demand imbalances. In 1924, Nichibei Kōyu participated in the establishment of Nippon Jūyu (Japan Heavy Oil) with four other companies, following mediation by Nippon Oil. In 1928, on its 30th anniversary, the company changed its organization from a limited partnership to a joint-stock company, with Shō Kuichi becoming president and Makino Yahei retiring as advisor. The company expanded its sales network across Japan and overseas, opening branches in Taiwan (1928), mainland China (1939 Tianjin, 1940 Shanghai), Korea (1930 Keijō, 1935 Pyongyang) and Manchuria. In 1935 it acquired Kimura Shōten, a fishery oil dealer, and established Fuji Shōji for importing high-grade machine oils. During World War II, under wartime controls, the company was renamed Nippon Yūgyō Co., Ltd. in 1942 and split into two entities, with its overseas and Kantō sales networks and part of its capital transferred to Nippon Jūyu. In 1944 the head office moved to Nishi-ku, Osaka. In 1945, after the war, the company restored its original name, Nichibei Kōyu Co., Ltd. In 1948 it opened a Kagoshima branch. In 1953 it merged with Fuji Kōyu, increasing capital to 10 million yen and opening Tokyo and Nagoya branches. In 1954 it established Ōta Sekiyu. In 1959 it signed a propane gas sales agreement with Nippon Oil Gas and established Nanpō Sekiyu. In 1961 a new head office building was completed in Nishi-ku, Osaka, and capital was increased to 50 million yen. In 1966 it introduced the petroleum industry's first electronic computer and formed a labor union. In 1969 it established Nichibei Resin. Capital was increased to 170 million yen in 1973 and to 255 million yen in 1980. In 1982 it established Central Information Service, and in 1986 Nichibei Rental Lease (now Orix Rent-a-Car Kansai). In 1998 it celebrated its 100th anniversary. In the 21st century, the company continued to reorganize. In 2013 it moved its Tokyo branch to Mihama-ku, Chiba, renaming it the East Japan Branch. In 2014 it integrated its gas Kagoshima branch into the Kagoshima branch. In 2018 it made its Nagoya office the Chubu Branch, established Nichibei Energy Life, and celebrated its 120th anniversary. In 2020 it opened the North Japan Branch. In 2023, marking its 125th anniversary, it changed its name from Nichibei Kōyu Co., Ltd. to Nichibei United Corporation. In 2026 it spun off its coffee farm business into Wagokoro Coffee Co., Ltd. Today, the company operates as a comprehensive petroleum trading company and an ENEOS super dealer, with a focus on environmental initiatives and diversified energy services.

• 2026

  Spun off coffee farm business to establish Wagokoro Coffee Co., Ltd.

• 2023

  Changed name from Nichibei Kōyu Co., Ltd. to Nichibei United Corporation.

• 2018

  Celebrated 120th anniversary; established Nichibei Energy Life.

• 1998

  Celebrated 100th anniversary.

• 1966

  Introduced the petroleum industry's first electronic computer; formed labor union.

• 1961

  New head office building completed in Nishi-ku, Osaka; capital increased to 50 million yen.

• 1953

  Merged with Fuji Kōyu; capital increased to 10 million yen; opened Tokyo and Nagoya branches.

• 1945

  Restored the name Nichibei Kōyu Co., Ltd.

• 1942

  Renamed Nippon Yūgyō Co., Ltd. and split into two companies under wartime controls.

• 1938

  Moved head office to Nihonbashi-ku, Tokyo; Osaka sales office became Osaka branch.

• 1927

  Reorganized as a joint-stock company and increased capital to 500,000 yen.

• 1909

  Signed a special sales agreement with Nippon Oil; expanded sales network nationwide.

• 1898

  Founded as Nichibei Kōyu Gōshi Kaisha in Nishi-ku, Osaka, as a special agent for Standard Oil of New York.

A comprehensive petroleum trading company and ENEOS super dealer, providing diverse energy and lifestyle services from industry to everyday life, with a focus on environmental responsibility under the theme 'WE CARE ECOLOGY'.

• Lubricating oils and solvents

  Industrial lubricants and solvents for factory facilities and specialized fields.

• Oil adsorbents

  Materials for absorbing oil spills and leaks.

• Oil treatment agents

  Chemicals for treating oil and liquid spills.

• Parts cleaning rental system

  Rental service for machine parts cleaning equipment.

• Printing press cleaners

  Cleaning agents for printing machinery.

• Cleaning-related products

  Various cleaning products for industrial use.

• Environmentally friendly asphalt adhesion preventives

  Products to prevent asphalt adhesion with reduced environmental impact.

• LP gas

  Liquefied petroleum gas for households and businesses.

• Fuel cells (Ene-Farm)

  Residential fuel cell systems for cogeneration.

• Solar power systems

  Solar power generation systems for homes and businesses.

• Insurance products

  Non-life and life insurance solicitation services.

1. 1日米ユナイテッド株式会社 ホームページnichibei-united.co.jp
2. 2沿革 | 日米ユナイテッド株式会社nichibei-united.co.jp
3. 3会社概要・役員一覧 | 日米ユナイテッド株式会社nichibei-united.co.jp
4. 4工場施設・専門分野向け製品 | 日米ユナイテッド株式会社nichibei-united.co.jp
5. 5日米ユナイテッド - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
6. 6Nichibei United Corporation - Wikidatawikidata.org