Question 1

True or false: Ibuka was the CEO of Sony when it introduced the Walkman in 1979.

Accepted Answer

False. Ibuka was honorary chairman by then; Akio Morita was chairman and CEO. Ibuka inspired the Walkman but didn't lead the company at launch.

Question 2

True or false: Ibuka designed the first transistor radio entirely on his own.

Accepted Answer

False. Sony's first transistor radio (TR-55) was a team effort led by engineers including Ibuka, but he didn't single-handedly design it. He oversaw the project.

Question 3

True or false: Ibuka originally wanted to name Sony 'Totsuko' but was overruled.

Accepted Answer

False. The company was originally called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Totsuko). The name 'Sony' was coined by Akio Morita to sound more global, not overruled by Ibuka.

Question 4

True or false: Masaru Ibuka co-founded Sony but had no formal engineering degree.

Accepted Answer

True. Ibuka studied electrical engineering but never graduated; he was a self-taught innovator who partnered with Akio Morita to build Sony.

Question 5

True or false: Ibuka survived the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake, which inspired his focus on portable electronics.

Accepted Answer

True. The earthquake destroyed his home when he was 15, making him value compact, durable devices. This later influenced Sony's miniaturization philosophy.

Question 6

True or false: Ibuka wrote a children's book about early childhood education.

Accepted Answer

True. In 1971 he wrote 'Kindergarten Is Too Late,' arguing that the most critical brain development occurs before age three. It became a bestseller in Japan.

Question 7

True or false: Ibuka was awarded the IEEE Founders Medal for his contributions to electronics.

Accepted Answer

True. He received the IEEE Founders Medal in 1972 for his pioneering work in consumer electronics and engineering leadership at Sony.

Question 8

True or false: Ibuka's favorite hobby was playing the violin in his spare time.

Accepted Answer

False. Ibuka was known to enjoy photography and tinkering with gadgets, but there is no record of him playing the violin—a common myth about Japanese executives.

Masaru Ibuka Trivia Questions