Kōnosuke Matsushita

Matsushita's first electrical-product experiments took place in a tiny Osaka tenement in 1917; the manufacturing works followed in 1918. His wife Mumeno and her brother Toshio Iue worked alongside him. Poor initial socket sales made an order for fan-insulation plates important working capital. The business behind Panasonic grew through useful small components and repeat orders, with family labour and customers helping it survive the opening difficulties.