Akio Morita
Co-founder of Sony who launched the Walkman
- Lived
- 78 yrs
- 1921 – 1999
- Works listed
- 1
- Book
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 1992
- Profile views
- 6
- 0 followers
Akio Morita was a Japanese businessman who co-founded Sony with Masaru Ibuka in 1946. He turned Sony into a global brand, introducing transistor radios, the Trinitron TV and the Walkman, and helped change the world’s view of Japanese products. He died in 1999.
Biography
Background
Morita was the eldest son of a sake-brewing family in Nagoya, expected to take over the business. He studied physics at Osaka Imperial University and served as a naval officer, meeting Masaru Ibuka.
Founding Sony
In 1946 they founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo in a bombed department store in Tokyo. Morita insisted on the short, international name Sony in 1958.
Global brand
He licensed the transistor from Bell Labs and launched pocket radios, moved to New York to build Sony’s American business and listed it in New York in 1970.
Walkman
He pushed the 1979 Walkman despite doubts, creating personal music. Sony bought CBS Records and Columbia Pictures. He wrote Made in Japan and suffered a stroke in 1993. He died in 1999.
Timeline
-
1921
Born in Nagoya, Japan
-
1946
Co-founds Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo
-
1955
First transistor radio
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1958
Company renamed Sony
-
1970
Sony listed in New York
-
1979
Walkman
-
1989
Buys Columbia Pictures
-
1999
Dies
-
1999
Died, aged 78
Notable works
-
1986
Made in Japan Book
Awards and honours
-
Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
1992
Did you know?
-
1
Sony comes from the Latin “sonus” and the slang “sonny boy”.
-
2
He was the only Asian in Time’s 20 most influential business figures of the century.
-
3
He co-wrote a controversial book, The Japan That Can Say No.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Akio Morita?
Akio Morita was a Japanese businessman who co-founded Sony with Masaru Ibuka in 1946. He turned Sony into a global brand, introducing transistor radios, the Trinitron TV and the Walkman, and helped change the world’s view of Japanese products. He died in 1999.
When did Akio Morita die?
Akio Morita died on 3 October 1999 at the age of 78.
Where is Akio Morita from?
Akio Morita was born in Nagoya, Japan.
What is Akio Morita known for?
Akio Morita is best known for Co-founding Sony (1946) with Masaru Ibuka; transistor radios; the Walkman; global marketing.
What awards has Akio Morita received?
Notable honours include Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1992).
References
- Akio Morita — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Akio Morita — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Akio Morita (Q310845) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Akio Morita”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Akio Morita.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/akio-morita
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