Japan's Mitsui & Co accounted on August 10th 2012 that it has acquired an additional 3,205,000 outstanding shares that cost nearly ￥7,000 million in independent electric steelmaker Yamato Kogyo Co, making its share in Yamato Kogyo to 6.56% from 1.96%.

Mitsui is now considering reinforcing the existing bases of its operations both at home and abroad with the additional acquisition of shares, expanding again of its overseas business foundations and strengthening strategic moves with Yamato Kogyo.

Mitsui and Yamato Kogyo have formed strong partnership relations for many years. In 1992, they even established a joint venture company, Siam Yamato Steel Co., Ltd. in Bangkok, Thailand.

Yamato Kogyo also has strong relationships with steel companies in the US, Thailand and South Korea, and is now in course of promoting its new steelworks project in Bahrain.