Masatoshi Ito, the honorary chairman of Seven & i Holdings Co., the retail giant and founder of the Ito Yokado chain of supermarkets, passed away on March 10 due to old age at the age of 98.
Born on April 30, 1924, in Tokyo, Ito came from a family of merchants. After graduating from Yokohama Commercial School in 1944, he joined Mitsubishi Mining, the predecessor of Mitsubishi Materials. He later enlisted in the military and resigned from Mitsubishi after World War II, joining the family business.
In 1958, Ito founded the Yokado clothing store in Adachi-ku, Tokyo, and served as it …
