18) The First Product which was Presented to His Majesty the Emperor

 
Photo A (left): Japan's first transistor radio: "Model TR-55"
Photo B(right): Genuine “pocketable” radio: "Model TR-63"

Photo A shows the internal structure of the first Japanese made transistor radio "Model TR-55" which Sony released in 1955. As described in the explanation titled as "Respectfully Presented to His Majesty the Emperor," it was the first product made by the company, and we can feel confidence and pride of the development team on the product.
By the way, in the case of transistor radios, other electronic parts like speakers, variable capacitors, transformers, etc. had to be miniaturized as well. Their President, Ibuka himself visited the parts makers in different places like Company M for capacitors, Company F for miniature sized speakers and so on, and urged, "Smaller, and smaller! And better in quality, please!" At first some makers resisted, saying "It is a crazy idea to make pocketable radios," but they were finally moved by his eagerness, and started to handle it as special order products which were supplied with customized specifications.
As you see, the first radios had certain size which was not actually pocketable. It was two years later, in April,1957, when genuine "pocketable" radio "Model TR-63" (photo: B) was released.
"We exported them to US and they created a sensation, but we later found out that there was no English word as 'pocketable'." Although we appealed the products as "pocketable," shirt pockets of salesmen were actually made a little larger." This is a secret story (?) that Ibuka personally told me later.
(Photo: by courtesy of Sony)

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“Mr. Shimura’s Essays with Historic Photos”    Semiconductor History Museum of Japan
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