2008年に韓国の銀行が世界老舗企業一覧を出しました。これは世界41カ国の創業二百年以上の企業（全5,586社）を対象とし、創業の古い順にランキングしたものです。日本が3,146社と全体の56.3%と半数を超え、2位がドイツの 837社、3位がオランダの222社です。上位5社は日本が独占し、世界最古の企業は578年に創業された金剛組（大阪市）で、創業1,400年を超えます。金剛組は寺社建築企業（宮大工集団）です。593年に創建された四天王寺や601年に創建された法隆寺を築いた工法は、現代でも金剛組の「組上工法」として使われ、継承されています。宮大工の「匠の技」は機械やマニュアルでは継承できず、誇らかに受け継がれています。
In the year 2008, The Bank of Korea reported a list of the old companies in the world. This is a ranking of enterprises older than 200 years in 41 countries in the world ranked in chronological order. Japanese companies took over more than half (56.3%) of all the old companies which was 3,146 companies. The second was Germany with 837 companies, third was the Netherland's with 222. The top five are Japanese companies and the oldest was Kongo-Gumi founded in the year 578 and has been running for 1,400 years. This is a construction company specialized in temples and shrines. The method of construction which made Shitennoji-temple in the year 593 and Horyuji-temple in the year 601 is still used and inherited. This special craftsmanship cannot be done with machines or manuals and it is proudly passed on to generations by generations.
老舗企業一覧：a list of the old companies、企業：company or enterprise、古い順に：in chronological order、建築会社：construction company、寺社：temples and shrines、工法：method of construction、匠の技：craftsmanship、継承する：inherit or pass on to generations by generations