Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank
The group emerged after World War II and coalesced around the Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank. Two of DKB's largest clients, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Furukawa Electric, led their own respective corporate groups with a cross-supply relationship between the two. The Kawasaki and Furukawa groups agreed to begin holding presidents' meetings in 1966. Itochu, which historically supplied Kawasaki with raw materials, became the main general trading company for the combined group.