Key Dates:

 
1895: Sekisan-sha is founded.
1900: Annaka Electric Company is founded and develops the world's first wireless telephone transmitter.
1908: Sekisan merges with Abe Electric Wire Co, forming Kyoritsu, and begins producing of telephones.
1931: Annaka and Kyoritsu merge to form Anritsu.
1950: Anritsu debuts a field strength meter as part of its entry into the testing and measurement sector.
1961: The company opens a new factory in Atsugi and begins producing electronic micrometers.
1967: The company goes public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
1970: Anritsu begins exporting telephones to Australia as a first step to entering the international market.
1979: The company wins a large-scale order to produce measuring instruments for AT&T in the United States.
1980: Anritsu establishes a subsidiary in England in order to enter the European market.
1985: The company changes its name to Anritsu Corp.
1990: U.S. company Wiltron is acquired.
1993: Anritsu launches measuring instruments for the mobile communications market.
1997: The company opens a production facility in England to manufacture to European market specifications; enters China, India, Brazil and other countries; and begins manufacturing components and constructs a new $30 million laser diode at its production facility in Japan.


Company History:

Anritsu Corporation is a leading global producer of test and measurement devices, equipment, and systems. The Kanagawa, Japan-based company primarily targets the market for wired and wireless telecommunications systems, developing measuring instruments and systems for mobile telephone networks, IP networks, and other ultra-high frequency and infrared-based, general purpose testing applications. The company's Test and Measurement division, which accounted for nearly 61 percent of Anritsu's sales of ¥78.40 billion ($742 million) in 2004, supports the full range of digital, cable, optical, RF/microwave and related transmission systems. Anritsu's Information and Communications division delivers video distribution and monitoring and related systems, primarily for the Japanese government and municipal customers. That division accounted for nearly 16 percent of Anritsu's 2004 sales. The Industrial Automation division, at more than 14 percent of sales, produces automatic weighing systems for industrial applications, while the company's Other Businesses division, accounting for eight percent of annual revenues, produces devices and precision measuring equipment, as well as overseeing the company's logistics, property, employee welfare and related needs. With roots tracing back to 1895 and the founding of Japan's communications industry, Anritsu is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and operates manufacturing and marketing subsidiaries in the United States, England and the rest of Europe, South America, China, and throughout Southeast Asia.

Wireless Pioneer in the 20th Century

The development of the first telephone networks in Japan at the end of the 19th century introduced demand for the production of wire-line and wireless networking equipment and components, as well for the telephones themselves. One of the earliest of the new companies established to meet this demand was Sekisan-sha, founded in 1895. That company represented the earliest component of the later Anritsu.

In 1908, Sekisan-sha merged with another entrant into the country's telecommunications market, Abe Electric Wire Company, and the resulting company was renamed Kyoritsu. By then, Japan's telephone system had begun to develop rapidly, and, with growing penetration in both the public and private sectors, demand for telephones surged. Kyroritsu responded by stepping up its production of telephones, producing both desktop and wall based telephones. By 1925, the company had begun to manufacture public pay phones as well.

Wireless communications technologies had begun to develop concurrently with the deployment of Japan's wire-line telephone grid. One of the pioneers of wireless technologies in Japan was Annaka Electric Company, founded in 1900. In 1903, that company succeeded in developing its first wireless transmitter, which was used for setting off a fireworks display at the Japan Industry Promotion Exposition that year.

Annaka continued building on its wireless transmission technologies, resulting in the introduction of its TYK wireless telephone in 1913. By 1916, Annaka was capable of deploying a full-scale TYK-based telegraph system. Linking Toshijima, Toba, and Kamijima, the TYK system became the world's first wireless telephone network.

Radio became Annaka's major market in the 1920s with the launch of Japan's first radio broadcasts. The company began producing components for the new service, including receivers, headphones, and speakers. Annaka also continued expanding its transmission expertise, and in 1925 the company became the first in Japan to build a 500-watt radio transmitter. This was delivered to Tokyo Central Radio Station. Annaka also began developing its wireless transmission technology for other markets and in 1928 released a 2kW wireless transmitter for ocean-going vessels.

Annaka and Kyoritsu merged in 1931, creating Anritsu Electric Corporation. The enlarged company then turned its attention to developing transmission systems for emerging television technology. By 1922, Anritsu succeeded in building its first television broadcast transmitter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its telephone systems expertise, launching the first automatic public telephone in 1939.

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Annaka Electric Company 1900 Japan Made a wireless transmitter as early as 1903.
3 KW spark transmitter