TOKYO -- For Japanese trading houses such as Marubeni, diving deep into growing markets overseas is quickly becoming a critical skill, needed to keep earnings on a steady climb even as political shifts threaten to upend global strategies.
At Indonesian tire chain 1 Station, appealing to local patrons has been a key challenge over the past few years. When Marubeni took a stake in PT Trans Oto Internasional, 1 Station's operator, in 2014, the chain's eight locations were far from inviting. Floors were stained with oil and littered with cigarette butts.
