Masaru Ibuka
Engineer who co-founded Sony and drove its innovations
- Lived
- 89 yrs
- 1908 – 1997
- Works listed
- 1
- Book
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 1992
- Profile views
- 2
- 0 followers
Masaru Ibuka was a Japanese engineer who co-founded Sony with Akio Morita in 1946 and led its technical development. He pushed Sony to make Japan’s first tape recorder, transistor radios and the Trinitron colour TV, and asked for the portable player that became the Walkman. He died in 1997.
Biography
Background
Ibuka studied at Waseda University, where his “running neon” invention won a prize at the 1933 Paris Expo. During the war he developed military electronics and met the naval officer Akio Morita.
Founding Sony
In 1946 he set up Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation in a bombed-out Tokyo department store. Its founding prospectus called for a free, creative workplace for engineers.
Firsts
The company built Japan’s first tape recorder (1950), the TR-55 transistor radio (1955) and the Trinitron colour TV (1968).
Walkman and education
In 1978 Ibuka asked engineers for a portable stereo for listening on flights, which became the Walkman. He also wrote about early childhood education. He died in 1997.
Timeline
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1908
Born in Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan
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1946
Co-founds Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo
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1950
Japan’s first tape recorder
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1955
TR-55 radio
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1968
Trinitron
-
1979
Walkman launched
-
1992
Order of Culture
-
1997
Dies
-
1997
Died, aged 89
Notable works
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1971
Kindergarten Is Too Late! Book
Awards and honours
-
Order of Culture
1992
Did you know?
-
1
He was a keen advocate of early-childhood education.
-
2
The IEEE Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award is named after him.
-
3
He was 38 when he co-founded Sony.
Connections
Also born on 11 April
Frequently asked
Who is Masaru Ibuka?
Masaru Ibuka was a Japanese engineer who co-founded Sony with Akio Morita in 1946 and led its technical development. He pushed Sony to make Japan’s first tape recorder, transistor radios and the Trinitron colour TV, and asked for the portable player that became the Walkman. He died in 1997.
When did Masaru Ibuka die?
Masaru Ibuka died on 19 December 1997 at the age of 89.
Where is Masaru Ibuka from?
Masaru Ibuka was born in Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan.
What is Masaru Ibuka known for?
Masaru Ibuka is best known for Co-founding Sony (1946); transistor radio; Trinitron; the idea for the Walkman.
What awards has Masaru Ibuka received?
Notable honours include Order of Culture (1992).
References
- Masaru Ibuka — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Masaru Ibuka — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Masaru Ibuka — Goodreads author page. Goodreads. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Masaru Ibuka (Q352496) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Masaru Ibuka”, 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
“Masaru Ibuka.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/masaru-ibuka
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