Akio Morita (January 26, 1921 – October 3, 1999) was a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony along with Masaru Ibuka. ==Early life== Akio Morita was born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Akio, however, found his true calling in mathematics and physics, and in 1944 he graduated from Osaka Imperial University with a degree in physics.
During his service, Morita met his future business partner Masaru Ibuka in the Navy's Wartime Research Committee. ==Sony== In September 1945, Ibuka founded a radio repair shop in the bombed out Shirokiya Department Store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.
With funding from Morita's father, they co-founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, the forerunner of Sony Corporation) in 1946 with about 20 employees and initial capital of ¥190,000. In 1949, the company developed magnetic recording tape and, in 1950, sold the first tape recorder in Japan.
With funding from Morita's father, they co-founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, the forerunner of Sony Corporation) in 1946 with about 20 employees and initial capital of ¥190,000. In 1949, the company developed magnetic recording tape and, in 1950, sold the first tape recorder in Japan.
With funding from Morita's father, they co-founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, the forerunner of Sony Corporation) in 1946 with about 20 employees and initial capital of ¥190,000. In 1949, the company developed magnetic recording tape and, in 1950, sold the first tape recorder in Japan.
Ibuka was instrumental in securing the licensing of transistor technology from Bell Labs to Sony in the 1950s, thus making Sony one of the first companies to apply transistor technology to non-military uses.
In 1961, Sony Corporation was the first Japanese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, in the form of American depositary receipts (ADRs). In March 1968, Morita set up a joint venture in Japan between Sony and CBS Records, with him as president, to manufacture "software" for Sony's hardware. Morita became president of Sony in 1971, taking over from Ibuka who had served from 1950 to 1971.
In 1957, the company produced a pocket-sized radio (the first to be fully transistorized), and in 1958, Morita and Ibuka decided to rename their company Sony Corporation (derived from "sonus"—–Latin for "sound"—–and Sonny-boys the most common American expression).
In 1957, the company produced a pocket-sized radio (the first to be fully transistorized), and in 1958, Morita and Ibuka decided to rename their company Sony Corporation (derived from "sonus"—–Latin for "sound"—–and Sonny-boys the most common American expression).
However, since the radio was slightly too big to fit in a shirt pocket, Morita made his employees wear shirts with slightly larger pockets to give the radio a "pocket sized" appearance. Morita founded Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, currently abbreviated as SCA) in 1960.
In 1961, Sony Corporation was the first Japanese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, in the form of American depositary receipts (ADRs). In March 1968, Morita set up a joint venture in Japan between Sony and CBS Records, with him as president, to manufacture "software" for Sony's hardware. Morita became president of Sony in 1971, taking over from Ibuka who had served from 1950 to 1971.
His amateur radio call sign is JP1DPJ. ==Publications== In 1966, Morita wrote a book called Gakureki Muyō Ron (学歴無用論, Never Mind School Records), where he stresses that school records are not important to success or one's business skills.
In 1961, Sony Corporation was the first Japanese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, in the form of American depositary receipts (ADRs). In March 1968, Morita set up a joint venture in Japan between Sony and CBS Records, with him as president, to manufacture "software" for Sony's hardware. Morita became president of Sony in 1971, taking over from Ibuka who had served from 1950 to 1971.
In 1961, Sony Corporation was the first Japanese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, in the form of American depositary receipts (ADRs). In March 1968, Morita set up a joint venture in Japan between Sony and CBS Records, with him as president, to manufacture "software" for Sony's hardware. Morita became president of Sony in 1971, taking over from Ibuka who had served from 1950 to 1971.
He helped General Motors with their acquisition of an interest in Isuzu Motors in 1972.
(Actually, Morita had no intention to criticize American practices at that time.) The book was translated into English and caused controversy in the United States, and Morita later had his chapters removed from the English version and distanced himself from the book. ==Awards and Honours== In 1972, Morita received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
In 1975, Sony released the first Betamax home videocassette recorder, a year before the VHS format came out. Ibuka retired in 1976 and Morita was named chairman of the company.
In 1975, Sony released the first Betamax home videocassette recorder, a year before the VHS format came out. Ibuka retired in 1976 and Morita was named chairman of the company.
In 1979, the Walkman was introduced, making it one of the world's first portable music players and in 1982, Sony launched the world's first Compact Disc player, the Sony CDP-101, with a Compact Disc (CD) itself, a new data storage format Sony and Philips co-developed.
In 1979, the Walkman was introduced, making it one of the world's first portable music players and in 1982, Sony launched the world's first Compact Disc player, the Sony CDP-101, with a Compact Disc (CD) itself, a new data storage format Sony and Philips co-developed.
Morita was awarded the Albert Medal by the United Kingdom's Royal Society of Arts in 1982, the first Japanese to receive the honor.
In 1984, Sony launched the Discman series which extended their Walkman brand to portable CD products. Under the vision of Morita, the company aggressively expanded into new businesses.
He was posthumously awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1999. ==Television commercials== American Express 1984 ==Death== Morita, who loved to play golf and tennis and to watch movies when rainy, suffered a stroke in 1993, during a game of tennis.
In 1986, Morita wrote an autobiography titled Made in Japan.
Made in Japan (New York: Dutton, 1986, ) Morita, Akio.
Morita received the International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award from the University of Manitoba in 1987.
He co-authored the 1991 book The Japan That Can Say No with politician Shintaro Ishihara, where they criticized American business practices and encouraged Japanese to take a more independent role in business and foreign affairs.
Two years later, he received the prestigious Legion of Honour, and in 1991, was awarded the First Class Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan.
In 1993, he was awarded an honorary British knighthood (KBE).
He was posthumously awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1999. ==Television commercials== American Express 1984 ==Death== Morita, who loved to play golf and tennis and to watch movies when rainy, suffered a stroke in 1993, during a game of tennis.
On November 25, 1994, he stepped down as Sony chairman.
In 1998, he was the only Asian person on Time magazine's list of the 20 most influential business people of the 20th Century as part of their The Most Important People of the Century.
Akio Morita (January 26, 1921 – October 3, 1999) was a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony along with Masaru Ibuka. ==Early life== Akio Morita was born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
He was posthumously awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1999. ==Television commercials== American Express 1984 ==Death== Morita, who loved to play golf and tennis and to watch movies when rainy, suffered a stroke in 1993, during a game of tennis.
On October 3, 1999, Morita died of pneumonia at the age of 78. ==References== ==Further reading== Morita, Akio.
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