1. A Japanese business group consisting of companies with interlocking shareholdings and business relationships, typically organized around a major bank or trading company.
Usage: Japanese loanword; Business/economics term; Often used in discussions of Japanese corporate structure

Examples

• The Mitsubishi keiretsu is one of Japan's largest and most influential business groups.
• Keiretsu structures have historically given Japanese companies competitive advantages through coordinated investment and supply chains.
• Western companies often struggle to compete with established keiretsu because of their integrated networks.
• The keiretsu system began to weaken in the 1990s as Japanese corporations became more globally oriented.
• Banks play a central role in maintaining the stability of a keiretsu by holding shares in member companies.