Mitsuhama Computer Technologies

Mitsuhama Computer Technologies or MCT, headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is the third largest corporation in the world (as of 2075), and the second largest Japanese corporation. It deals primarily with computers and robotics, but also possess extensive holdings in heavy industry, multimedia and thaumaturgy. It owes its name to its founder Taiga Mitsuhama, who now holds about 2% of the stock with his son and current CEO of MCT, Toshiro Mitsuhama. MCT is the largest source of entertainment worldwide, standing completely in front in profit-yielding markets like the simsense industry, the trideo market and the Music Industry. MCT is number two in heavy industry, just behind Saeder-Krupp, and likewise is number two in the Magic Industry, behind Aztechnology.
MCT is connected closely with the Japanese yakuza. The yakuza funded MCT when it was formed, and yakuza members still sit on the board today. MCT provides enough money and money laundering to the yakuza that MCT functions relatively independently without them. The Four Oyabun Rengo is unique among the Yakuza as they control the corporation via their ownership of nearly half its shares.[1]
MCT is considered very aggressive with regards to intruders. Their defense concept is known as Zero Zone. There is no penetration and no survival. MCT does not take prisoners, shooting first and asking questions never. The magic defense is top class and each important asset is defended with riggers. In addition, they use paranormal critters more often than other corporations.
They are strong backers of the imperialist faction in Japan, opposing the reformers led by Emperor Yasuhito.

History

To understand the beginnings of Mitsuhama Computer Technologies we have to go all the way to a time before the Seretech Decision. In the late nineties, the world's economy was in one of the largest recessions that had ever been seen. Long established companies and brands were falling to the wayside due to the economic downturns of the last decade of the 20th century. Not even countries were completely immune to this phenomenon. Taiga "Tiger" Mitsuhama was a fifty-five year old man who owned a construction company left to him by his father. All he had was his construction company, and a sound strategy to weather the economic storm. All around him he saw company after company, one by one, close their doors and declare bankruptcy. Stealing from another era, and another nation, Tiger's plan could be boiled down to the single phrase "United We Stand".
Where a single company could not survive, several companies working together could. It was a beautiful plan that was elegant in its simplicity. Unfortunately, every legitimate businessman that Tiger approached turned him down. Some were so sure of their leadership that they felt no need to "team up" with an outsider. Others felt that it was a much too risky a move. Still others were flat out unable to invest, due to the tightening restrictions on banking, and the near impossibility of getting a loan. One by one he was turned down by every legitimate avenue he could find.
Where does one go when all legitimate business means have been exhausted? You got it in one chummer; you go to the illegitimate businessmen. In Tiger's case this was the Yakuza.
Tiger met with the oyabuns ("bosses") of four of Japan's most profitable gumi (criminal "sets"). The four oyabun (Samba Oi, Shin Yuruyasu, Saigusa Oguramaro, and Uehara Akae), saw the wisdom in Tiger's plan and invested Yakuza money into the burgeoning corporation. The actual "bag man" for the group was Eiji Yakamura. Yakamura was the equivalent of a Yak "made man". His duty was to funnel the dirty money from the Yakuza through the Mitsuhama washing machine, and make sure it came out clean on the other side. And of course take the fall if need be. It was a worthwhile venture for Yakamura, by the end of his life he was the richest metahuman on the planet. Though not technically as he died a long time resident of the Zurich-Orbital Habitat.
Within two years, Mitsuhama went from a single construction company to one of the economic powerhouses in Japan. They only had three divisions (computer technology, robotics, and heavy industry) and thus weren't as diversified as other companies. That didn't matter though. Between the legitmate money coming in from corporate assets and the illegal laundry from the Yaks, Mitsuhama was able to grow even in these worst of economic times. Tiger was able to humiliate those who turned down his original offer by buying up those same companies against their wishes.
The laundry wasn't the only thing that Mitsuhama did for the Yakuza. They also provided "prefered customer discounts" to the various Yakuza gumi and assisted them in other business related matters. Technically that was all the agreement called for in terms of "return of investment" on the part of the Yakuza oyabuns. Instead, Tiger showed great wisdom and respect for these leaders by granting each of the oyabun and Eiji Yakamura very generous shares in Mitsuhama. Tiger retained only 3% stock, and the other investors held an astounding 62% between them. Yakamura holding the most with 19%. They were the majority shareholders, but they left Tiger in the position of CEO.
In 2000 (the same year as the Shiawase Decision) Tiger hired his son, Toshiro, to be the Vice President of Acquisitions. Together they went out and bought up several mining operations and entertainment outlets. They also designed and built state of the art R&D labs. Then promised the best and brightest minds in the world an unlimited budget and the best tech. Many jumped at the chance. Rumour has it that those who didn't often ended up in MCT labs anyway.
With the coming of the Awakening, Tiger saw an opportunity to expand Mitsuhama's brand into a completely new market - magic. Other companies had magical research labs, but Mitsuhama was a pioneer in using patents and trademark laws on magical formulae, rituals, and branded magical supplies. This sort of forward thinking is what helped make Mitsuhama the world's number two supplier of magic after Aztechnology.
Their magic-oriented companies, Mitsuhama Thaumaturgical Research and Mitsuhama Magical Services, didn't shoot to the top immediately. Their first year was quite rocky. But Tiger and Toshiro used the same recruiting practices for mages and shamans as it had done almost a decade before with technological R&D.
On Oct. 17th 2012 Mitsuhama joined with BMW, Ares Industries, Shiawase, ORO, Keruba, and JRJ to form the Inter-Corporate Council. The stated goal of which was to step in where governments were no longer able to. Mitsuhama had hit the big time. With this promotion came the right to extraterritoriality. Mitsuhama, after just twenty years had attained AAA status.
The next three decades brought with it an expansion of Mitsuhama's holdings, and an increase in Toshiro's responsibilities.
In 2037, Agatamori Kihara chairman of the board of Mitsuhama Computer Technologies, is shot in the chest during random gang violence. As a result of the resulting health problems, he resigns from the board.
In 2042, Tiger stepped down as CEO of Mitsuhama and named his son as successor.
The board of directors ("the Four Oyabun") were ecstatic at this decision. They had watched Toshiro under his father's tutelage, and when the time came, accepted him into their ranks by performing the time honored Shinto ritual of sakasuki. Sake-sharing is used by the Yakuza to seal promises and bonds of loyalty, most notably the induction of new Yakuza into the gumi and the establishment of the oyabun-kobun (boss-employee) relationship.

The Future Is Mitsuhama

Rating

AAA #3

World Headquarters

Kyoto, Japan

President/CEO

Toshiro Mitsuhama

Chairman of the Board

Samba Oi

Corporate Status

Public

Major Shareholders

• Eiji Yakamura (20%)
• Samba Oi (13%)
• Yuriyasu Shin (11%)
• Oguramaro Saigusa (10%)
• Akai Uehara (10%)