Foundation: 1899
Headquarters: Minato Ward, Tokyo
President: Takashi Niino
Executive Summary: NEC, or Nippon Electric Company, is a multinational Japanese corporation renowned for its contributions in the fields of telecommunications equipment, software, and network solutions. With origins tracing back to 1899, NEC was established by Kunihiko Iwadare, one of the few Japanese engineers to collaborate with Thomas Edison, as a joint venture with the American company Western Electric, making it Japan’s first foreign-affiliated enterprise. Today, NEC is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo.
Throughout its history, NEC has been instrumental in the development of pivotal technologies in Japan, including telephones, computers, and more recently, Artificial Intelligence. In its early years, NEC focused on producing battery switches, an essential component for telephone manufacturing, thereby aiding in the modernization of Japanese telecommunications. By the early 20th century, NEC was exporting telephone sets to China and Korea.
The company expanded its technological scope in 1924 by entering the radio broadcasting sector. Over subsequent decades, NEC’s product line grew to include televisions, computers, and satellite equipment. In 2009, NEC’s facial recognition technology was recognized as the best in the world by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
In 2021, NEC outlined its commitment to sustainability, focusing on three key areas: environment, society, and lifestyle. Its annual revenue is in the range of US$30 billion.