Akio Morita

Lore & Background

Akio Morita was born in Nagoya into a family that had produced sake, miso, and soy sauce since 1665. As the oldest of four siblings, he was trained to take over the family business, but he found his calling in mathematics and physics. He graduated from Osaka Imperial University with a degree in physics in 1944 and served as a sub-lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. While serving, he met Masaru Ibuka at a study group for developing infrared-guided bombs.

After the war, Ibuka founded a radio repair shop in Tokyo, and Morita joined him after seeing a newspaper article about the venture. With funding from Morita's father, they co-founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (later Sony) in 1946. The company developed Japan's first tape recorder in 1950 and later licensed transistor technology from Bell Labs, producing the first fully transistorized pocket-sized radio in 1957. Morita renamed the company Sony in 1958, derived from Latin 'sonus' and the American term 'sonny.' He founded Sony Corporation of America in 1960 and became president of Sony in 1971, later chairman in 1976.

Under Morita's leadership, Sony introduced the Betamax VCR in 1975, the Walkman in 1979, and the first compact disc player in 1982. He also oversaw the acquisition of CBS Records in 1988 and Columbia Pictures Entertainment in 1989. Morita suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in 1993 while playing tennis and stepped down as chairman in 1994. He died of pneumonia in 1999.

Reader's Guide

Akio Morita's significance lies in his role as co-founder of Sony, a company that became synonymous with innovation in consumer electronics. He was instrumental in bringing transistor technology to non-military uses, leading to the creation of the pocket-sized radio, which reshaped portable audio. His advocacy for product design and marketing, such as enlarging shirt pockets to make the radio appear pocket-sized, exemplified his hands-on approach. Morita also expanded Sony into entertainment by acquiring CBS Records and Columbia Pictures, pursuing a convergence of hardware and software. He was a vice chairman of the Japan Business Federation and served on the Japan-U.S. Economic Relations Group. His legacy includes the Walkman, which pioneered portable music, and the compact disc, which transformed audio storage. Morita's emphasis on global expansion and employee mobility influenced Japanese business practices. He was recognized with numerous honors, including the Albert Medal, the Legion of Honour, and an honorary British knighthood. Time magazine listed him among the 20 most influential business people of the 20th century.

Did You Know?

• Morita made his employees wear shirts with slightly larger pockets to make Sony's first transistor radio appear pocket-sized.
• He co-authored the 1991 book 'The Japan That Can Say No' with politician Shintaro Ishihara, but later distanced himself from it.
• Morita was the first Japanese to receive the Albert Medal from the Royal Society of Arts in 1982.
• He was the only Asian person on Time magazine's 1998 list of the 20 most influential business people of the 20th century.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Akio Morita (January 26, 1921 – October 3, 1999 in Nagoya, Aichi) was a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony Corporation." — Akio Morita "We tell our young managers: 'Don't be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don't make the same mistake twice'." — Akio Morita "Akio Morita, cited in: Nick Lyons (1976) The Sony vision. p. 101." — Akio Morita "More people are interested in trying to shuffle paper assets around than building lasting assets by producing real goods." — Akio Morita