after the russo-japanese war, nichimen expanded its business from importing. the company began cotton spinning operations in the kwantung leased territory and established offices in china, korea, germany, italy and the united kingdom to supply local markets. in 1910, nichimen opened a subsidiary in fort worth, texas to enter the raw cotton trade in the united states. world war i strained cotton supply in europe, boosting nichimen's international business further. in the late 1910s the company expanded into south america and africa, trading in cotton as well as wool, food products, and machinery.