Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Kibo-no-ie, a social welfare institution in Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, to the north of Tokyo. At Kibo-no-ie, individuals with intellectual disabilities engage in custom-tailored work within an environment that promotes a self-sufficient, communal lifestyle.

Masaru Ibuka, one of the founders of Sony Corporation, was deeply involved in the establishment of Kibo-no-ie, and served as its first Director.

Ibuka-san

Beyond his work on some of Sony's most defining and iconic products, including the tape recorder, transistor radio, Trinitron color TV, and Walkman®, Ibuka-san also embodied Sony's values of engaging with and contributing to society from the company's very outset.

From left: "G-Type" tape recorder (1950), "TR-55" transistor radio (1955),
"KV-1310" Trinitron color TV (1968), and "TPS-L2" Walkman (1979).

Written in 1946, Sony's Founding Prospectus clearly demonstrates Ibuka-san's strong desire to contribute to the enrichment of people's lives through the power of technology.

Later, in 1959, Ibuka-san began providing financial assistance to schools and other organizations in order to promote children's scientific education. The legacy of these efforts, which mark their 60th anniversary this year, is carried on today by the Sony Education Foundation.

Additionally, Ibuka-san was an ardent supporter of societal participation for those with disabilities, with the founding of Kibo-no-ie in 1973 being just one example of his commitment. Alongside his duties as a company executive at Sony, he never wavered in his tireless lifelong efforts to engage with society at large.

Used industrial video tapes from broadcasters all across Japan are dismantled by hand by residents of Kibo-no-ie, and the components are then sorted for recycling.

In my first blog, "Sony and the Planet Earth," I shared the message that beyond our own stakeholders such as customers, employees, and shareholders, there exists the greater economic society and the Earth. Our ability to conduct business depends on the sustainability and the health of the environment and the planet. Sony's commitment to pursuing new ways of providing value to our communities and society has been passed to us by Ibuka-san, and is in the fabric of our DNA.

December 19 marks 22 years since Ibuka-san's passing. As I visited Kibo-no-ie and observed many of the items that marked his life at their Masaru Ibuka Memorial Hall, I felt a renewed conviction to work alongside all of you at Sony to generate value for society.

"Little Masaru's Toy Box" corner at the Masaru Ibuka Memorial Hall
(right; Ibuka-san's son, Makoto Ibuka.)