Shogo Shosha.
Nifuji had a vague feeling in the past, but now that he understood, by using that ability of his, the "trend reading," he knew that this type of company was what he should aim for.
Some people might not be familiar with this type of company, as it was a type of company that was born in this country, but many might be familiar with it, as those companies were known as the largest, yet the most stable, and the best examples would be Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Itochu.
Mitsubishi and Mitsui might be the clear winners, but Nifuji's favourite has always been Itochu, the owner of Family Mart.
So, in the end, what is the Shogo Shosa?
What's the difference between that and an equity firm?
Sogo Shosha is a massive, uniquely Japanese "general trading company" that manages global supply chains and holds investments for the long term.
On the other hand, a private equity firm is an investment vehicle that buys companies to fix and sell them.
So, what is the key difference?
1. The Goal: "Flipping" vs. "Feeding."
Private Equity: Their Goal is the Exit. They intend to acquire a company, improve it, and sell it (or take it public) within 5–7 years to return cash to their investors.
Sogo Shosha: Their goal is synergy and flow. They invest in companies to secure supply chains (e.g., a coal mine or a grain farm) or to create a network. They often keep their investments for decades. They want the "flow" of goods to go through their trading network so they can earn small fees at every step.
2. Business Model: Financial vs. Operational
Private Equity: They are primarily financial engineers. They use debt (leverage) to buy companies and focus on the balance sheet and profit margins.
Sogo Shosha: They are logistics and trade giants. They handle everything "from ramen to rockets." While they invest capital as a PE firm does, they also provide shipping, insurance, warehousing, and marketing for the companies' products.
While a private equity firm might buy a company to "fix it and flip it," a sogo shosha buys into companies to control the flow of goods across the planet.
Nifuji, who had the "trend reading," could read the flow, which was why, for him, sogo shosha was a better choice, especially when the line had blurred between the two as sogo shoshas had started acting more like PE firms by creating "Principal Investment" groups to buy companies purely for profit.
Still, he also liked Shogo Shosa better, as it had more stable and diversified earnings with lower volatility compared to typical investment firms.
Also, with his "Trend Reading," it would be wasteful if he didn't create the shogo shosa, especially when he could control the world with this type of company.
Yes, to control the world.
So, how did Shogo Shosa dominate global supply chains?
Sogo Shosha operates on a "Vertical Integration" model. This means they try to own every single step of a product's journey, from the dirt to the dinner table.
Upstream (Extraction): They own stakes in iron ore mines, oil fields, and massive farms.
Midstream (Logistics): They own the ships that carry the ore, the grain elevators that store the corn, and the insurance companies that cover the transit.
Downstream (Consumer): They own the supermarkets, the convenience stores (like Lawson or FamilyMart), and the brands that sell to you.
If Nifuji gave an example, a Sogo Shosha that wants to sell chicken in Japan does not just buy chickens. They buy a grain farm in Brazil (to feed the chickens), a shipping fleet (to transport the grain), a poultry farm (to raise the birds), and a retail chain (to sell the wings). Because they own every step of the process, they capture a small profit at every stage and are nearly impossible to compete with.
Still, the weakness of the sogo shosa was the volatility of the market and other disasters that disrupted their business processes.
However, with all of their connections, they could help each other, especially in terms of information.
When there was a drought on their farm, they could react; when the people started the trend of healthy markets, they could start with the healthy products first, before the competitors. k
Still, what is the first step for him to create his Shogo Shosha?
"....."
Let's think of having that later, as Mayuri and Eli were just so sticky to him, and they were just so unbearable. Moreover, as a 22-year-old woman, they learned about the happiness that came from sexual exchange; it was impossible for them to be stopped except due to their lower stamina.
Yup, while they might appear strong, and had an advantage over Nifuji due to their younger age; instead of spending those youthful energies on working out to build their endurance and stamina, they used it on work, and other lazy activities such as playing games, or watching anime, so naturally, in front of the force of nature, and overwhelming presence of Nifuji, the two were simply defeated.
Yet, even so, Nifuji also had to admit that the increase in his physical ability that came from the system, and also his hard work, was just so addictive.
Being strong meant that he could make his women satisfied, subjugate them, and conquer them.
The satisfaction that came from this act was on a higher level than succeeding in the business.
While being successful in the business meant that he would be respected by his peers and other men, being able to conquer women, making them cum and cum again, boosted his pride as a man.
Still, he had to say, he felt like a NEET somehow.
As Nifuji had decided to focus on his equity firm, he decided to focus on the real estate, buying them one after another in the area where he felt that they would increase in value, and by using the "excuse" that he bought them for his women, he got a tenfold return, gaining more and more money, which could be used for his ammunition for his future targets.
However, for those things, he had no need to go out by himself, as he could make his followers handle all the troublesome things.
As a leader, his focus was to take the lead, guiding everyone in which direction they should go, and the rest, all the details and transactions, he left to his employees.
Yes, they might have just known each other for a day, but as they came from the system, they were extremely reliable.
"So, after property, what's next?"
The property is nice, as it is stable, but it wouldn't give him much of a return.
However, he didn't really like the volatile market, and like how he relied on his "Trend Reading" ability, he should rely on his abilities, which he owns, as it was a sure way to make profits.
Still, as he kept thinking, he couldn't help but return to his apartment, thinking to take a nap, and rest for a bit, but—
"Ah!"
Fuji was there, holding her tanuki, as she just came out of her apartment while looking at him in surprise.
"..." Nifuji.
He wanted to take a rest, but let's change his plan.