Sony Group is celebrating its 80th anniversary by highlighting its history, business evolution, and future vision as a creative entertainment company. The electronics, entertainment, video game, and photography giant was founded on May 7, 1946, originally as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. in Tokyo.
Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. was an electronics store in a department store. The company's first product was a rice cooker before in 1955 it sold Japan's first transistor radio, the TR-55. The company name became more recognizable, but in 1958, it was changed to Sony.
The name Sony was inspired by the Latin word Sonus, meaning "sound," and Sonny, a nickname for boys used by American soldiers occupying Japan after the end of World War II. The use of the name Sony was unique in 1958 because Japanese companies at the time did not use the Roman alphabet for spelling.
Over the 80 years of its existence, Sony has been involved in a variety of innovations such as the development of the Walkman, compact discs (with Philip), video recorders, Betamax tapes, digital camera sensors, audio visual equipment and the PlayStation console.
In conjunction with the company's 80th anniversary, Sony will be updating the company's history, which was last done during its 50th anniversary. The "100.80.60. Exhibition" is currently taking place at Ginza Sony Park (April 24 – May 31, 2026) to celebrate 100 years of change in Ginza, 80 years of Sony and 60 years of the Sony Building. The complete history of Sony can also be accessed via the Sony website, which is updated weekly.
