Mitsubishi Mark
The Symbol of Quality and Reliability
The three-diamond Mitsubishi mark embodies over 150 years of tradition, and has earned the trust and confidence of people worldwide. Maintaining the value of that mark as a synonym for quality and reliability in products and services is a top priority at every Mitsubishi group company. Even group companies who do not use the three-diamond mark know the values it symbolizes, and incorporate those values into their business activities.
Origins of the Famous Emblem
The name "Mitsubishi" refers to the three-diamond emblem. "Mitsubishi" is a combination of the words 'mitsu' and 'hishi.' Mitsu means "three." Hishi means "water chestnut," and Japanese have used the word for a long time to denote a rhombus or diamond shape. In Japanese, the "h" sound is often pronounced as a "b" when it occurs in the middle of a word. So they pronounce the combination of mitsu and hishi as mitsubishi.
Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of the first Mitsubishi organization, chose the three-diamond mark as the emblem for his company. The mark is suggestive of the three-leaf crest of the Tosa Clan, Yataro's first employer, and also of the three stacked rhombuses of the Iwasaki family crest.
Managing the Mark
Through providing superior products and services, and maintaining the rigorous ethical standards that underlie their founding, all Mitsubishi group companies contribute to the value of the three-diamond mark as a symbol of quality and reliability. At the same time, they are careful to display the mark in ways that preserve its recognizability and to prevent inappropriate use of the mark by third parties.
(1) Legal registration
Mitsubishi has established the Mitsubishi Corporate Name and Trademark Committee and an affiliated liaison group to establish and enforce guidelines for proper use of the Mitsubishi mark. Mitsubishi group companies have secured nearly 4,500 registrations for the three-diamond mark in more than 140 nations.
The Corporate Name and Trademark Committee and the liaison group work to ensure that the mark appears on products and in publications and advertising in a manner that reinforces the Mitsubishi identity.
(2) Preventing inappropriate use by third parties
Mitsubishi's three-diamond mark is used mainly by pre-determined Mitsubishi group companies. Unauthorized or inappropriate use of the Mitsubishi mark by third parties diminishes the mark's value as a symbol of quality and reliability. Mitsubishi group companies monitor inappropriate use of the mark vigilantly through the Corporate Name and Trademark Committee. The companies issue warnings when they discover abuse, and sometimes take legal action to protect the mark.