Opening the Way to Modernity New Technology Drives Trade Discovery The Birth of Sumitomo Metal Mining

Opening the Way to Modernity

In 1591, Riemon Soga (1572–1636) opened a copper refining and metalwork shop in Kyoto. An inquisitive and energetic man, Riemon’s experimentation based on hints from European refining methods eventually led him to develop an advanced copper refining method called nanban-buki. This innovation would become a driving force behind the development of the “metal producers,” Sumitomo Metal Mining—today a steady supplier of high-quality non-ferrous metals and products for electronic components.