Starting in the 1950s and accelerating during Japan's bubble,
keiretsu corporations purchased each other's shares to form an extensive network of cross-holdings, a practice that was seen as important for guaranteeing long - term stability and developing lasting business relationships.
Typical
keiretsu conglomerates were arranged in the form of a series of interlocking industrial
corporations organized around a Japanese bank, which provided banking and financial services to the industrial
corporations.