Major Japanese manufacturer of electric appliances and consumer electronics products.
Founded in 1918 by Matsushita Konosuke (1894–1989) to produce electric lamp sockets and plugs, the company was incorporated in 1935. In the 1930s it manufactured a variety of electrical products, including radios and phonographs. In the 1950s it added television sets, tape recorders, and household appliances; a decade later it brought out microwave ovens, air conditioners, and videotape recorders. It markets products under such brand names as Panasonic, JVC, and Quasar. Matsushita is noted for its heavy investment in research and development. Its headquarters are in Kadoma, near Ōsaka; it has manufacturing and sales subsidiaries in many overseas markets.