keiretsu: connections between different companies. Japanese Keiretsu consists of a group of large companies with ties to a powerful bank, such as Mitsubishi Group. In Japan's automobile industry, keiretsu take the form of vertical hierarchical relationships between the automakers and various component-manufacturing groups. Toyota is cited as an example in the chapter; other keiretsu include Nissan and Honda. In the consumer electronics industry, keiretsu alliances are forged between manufacturers and retailers. Matsushita is a case in point; other keiretsu in the electronics industry are the Hitachi Group, the Toshiba Group, and the Sony Group. The presence of keiretsu can make it difficult for foreign companies to gain access to the Japanese market