Sharp Corporation

1912: Founder, Tokuji Hayakawa, was awarded a patent for the "Tokubijo" snap buckle (he was 18 years old at the time). On September 15, 1912, he established a small metalworking shop in Tokyo. The company began with three employees and initial capital of just under 50 yen.

1915: Mr. Hayakawa continued to research and improve techniques to manufacture a metal writing instrument which, at the time, had not yet been developed. In 1915, he invented a mechanical pencil named the "Ever-Sharp Pencil" that took the world by storm. The name of the company today and its trademark are derived from this product.

In May 1935, the structure of the company was modified to become a joint-stock corporation under the name Hayakawa Metal Works Institute Co. (capitalization: 300,000 yen.)

22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8522, Japan

Katsuhiko Machida, Representative Director, Chairman & CEO
Mikio Katayama, Representative Director, President & COO

204,675 million yen
Note: Any fractional sum of less than a million yen shall be discarded.
(as of March 31, 2009)

[ Fiscal 2008 Financial Results ]

• 2,847,227 million yen (consolidated)
• 2,254,395 million yen (unconsolidated)

• Sharp Corporation: 22,500
• Consolidated: 54,200
• Entire Sharp Group: 61,800 (31,900 in Japan and 29,900 overseas)
  (as of January 31, 2010)