Chronology - About Akio Morita - Akio Morita Library

Year Age Month Chronology of Events 1921 0 Jan 26 Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture - the eldest son of Kyuzaemon (father) and Shu (mother); the Morita family has carried on the tradition of making sake for nealy 400 years with Akio Morita representing the 15th generation 1933 12 Mar Graduates from Aichi Prefecture First Public Junior High School 1938 17 Mar Graduates from Aichi Prefecture First Public Elementary School 1942 21 Mar Graduates from the science department of the Eighth Higher School Apr Enters Osaka Imperial University, Department of Physics 1944 23 Jan Enters the Navy as a student assigned to the university - allowing him to continue his studies during the War Sep Graduates from Osaka Imperial University, Department of Physics 1945 24 Mar Akio is commissioned as a Navy technical lieutenant, working as a technician in avionic research at the Yokosuka Naval Base Akio meets Mr. Masaru Ibuka (Sony Founder and former Sony Chairman). At the time, Mr.Ibuka is the Managing Director of Japan Measuring Instruments Company. They meet at a Wartime Research Committee meeting Oct <Mr.Ibuka establishes Tokyo Tsuhin Kenkyujyo (Tokyo Telecommuniccations Research Institute) in the Shirokiya Department Store building (now Tokyu Department store), Nihombashi, Tokyo> Akio and Mr.Ibuka resume contact after Akio came across the "Blue Pencil" column in the newspaper "Asahi Shimbun" where he discovers Mr. Ibuka had founded his own company 1946 25 May After completing restructuring, Mr.Ibuka and Akio found Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. or Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation (the predecessor to Sony Corporation) with 190,000 yen in capital. Akio is appointed as a Director 1947 26 Jan < Moves headquarters and factory to Shinagawa, Tokyo > May Appointed as Managing Director 1950 29 Jul < Launches Japan's first tape recorder, the "G-type"> Nov Appointed as Senior Managing Director 1951 30 May Marries Yoshiko Kamei, 4th daughter of Toyoharu (President of Sanseido) and Tama Kamei. 1952 31 Feb The eldest son Hideo is born 1953 32 Aug First business trip overseas. During the three months spent traveling in Europe and the United States, he tours Philips Corporation of the Netherlands and decides to expand the company overseas 1954 33 Sep The second son Masao is born 1955 34 Aug < Launches Japan's first transistor radio（the TR-55）> 1957 36 Feb The eldest daughter Naoko is born Mar < Launches the world's smallest portable transistor radio, TR-63. The first model is designed for export> 1958 37 Jan < Company name officially changes to Sony Corporation > Dec < Sony Corporation listed on the TSE> 1959 38 Dec Appointed as Executive Vice President 1960 39 Feb Sony Corporation of America is established; appointed as President May < Launches world's first transistor TV（the TV8-301）> Dec Establishes Sony Overseas S.A. in Zug, Switzerland; appointed as President 1961 40 Jun < Sony becomes the first Japanese company to offer shares in the United States in the form of American Depository Receipts (ADR), on the OTC market of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) > 1962 41 Oct < Sony opens a showroom on New York's Fifth Avenue > 1963 42 Jun Moves to the United States with family Jul < Launches the world's first compact transistor VTR (the PV-100) > 1964 43 Jul Kyuzaemon Morita (Akio's father) passes away 1965 44 Mar < Establishes Sony / Tektronix Corporation, a joint venture (50% Sony capital) with Tektronix Inc. of the United States > Aug < Launches the world's first home-use open-reel VTR (the CV-2000) > 1966 45 Apr < Sony Building in Tokyo's Ginza District is completed > 1968 47 Mar < Establishes CBS/Sony Records, a joint venture (50% Sony capital) with CBS Inc. of the United States (becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony in January of 1988, and is renamed Sony Music Entertainment Inc. in April 1991); appointed as President) > May < Establishes Sony (UK) Ltd. (reorganized as Sony United Kingdom Ltd. in April 1993) > Oct < Launches the "Trinitron" color TV (the KV-1310) > 1969 48 Mar Appointed to the Advisory Board of Morgan Guaranty Trust 1970 49 Apr < Sony lights up New York with its Times Square neon sign > Sep < Shares listed on the NYSE > 1971 50 Apr Appears on the cover of "Time" magazine Jun Appointed President of Sony Corporation 1972 51 Mar Appointed to the Board of IBM WTC 1973 52 May < Receives Emmy Award for the development of the Trinitron > 1976 55 Jan Appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 1979 58 Aug < Establishes Sony Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd., a joint venture (50% Sony capial) with the Prudential Insurance Co. of America (renamed Pruco Life Insurance Co, Ltd. in September 1987 and Sony Life Insurance Co. Ltd. in April 1991) > 1980 59 Apr Appointed Director of Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) 1986 65 May Appointed Vice Chairman of the Keidanren (resigns in May 1992) 1988 67 Apr Appointed Chairman of the Council for Better Investment in the United States (renamed the Council for Better Corporate Citizenship) becoming Honorary Chairman from May 1996 Dec Shu Morita (Akio's mother) passes away 1989 68 Nov < Acquires Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc. (renamed Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. in August 1991) > 1991 70 Jun Names an Honorary Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Oct Appointed Chairman of the Japan International Training Cooperation Organization (resigned in March 1995) 1992 71 Mar < Establishes Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan), Inc., following acquisitions of Japanese film distributor companies managed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, (US) Inc. > May Appointed Vice Chairman of the Board of Councilors, Keidanren (resigned in May 1994) 1993 72 Jun Appointed Chairman of Foreign Investment of the Japan Development Corporation (resogned in June 1996) Appointed Chairman of The Japan-US Business Council (resigned in June 1994) Nov < Establishes Sony Computer Entertainment (Japan), Inc. > 1994 73 Nov Appointed Founder and Honorary Chairman of Sony Corporation 1996 75 May < 50th Anniversary of Sony Corporation > 1998 77 Dec Chosen by "Time" as one of the twenty most influential business leaders of the 20th Century 1999 78 Oct 3 Akio passes away from pneumonia