The world-famous Toshiba brand began its history back in 1875 and was first called Tanaka Engineering Works. In a short time, the company became the first to produce telegraph equipment in Japan.

The founder of the company is Hisashige Tanaka, an inventor by profession. Among his most striking inventions were mechanical dolls and watches that did not require winding. Tanaka Engineering Works soon became one of the most powerful manufacturers of high-quality electrical equipment in Japan. Later, the company's main activity took on a different form - the production of equipment for the end consumer. In the first half of the 20th century, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and other household appliances developed by the Tanaka Engineering Works corporation became widespread in Japan.

The company received its modern name (Toshiba) only in 1978. Just 7 years later, the company's engineers created the world's first portable computer. Over more than 100 years of history, Toshiba has acquired the status of a multinational corporation. In 2000, the company's sales exceeded $53 billion. Toshiba employs approximately 198,000 people worldwide. The company took 44th position in the list of the largest companies in the world.

In the modern world, the company is an association of ten branches that specialize in different areas of business. Toshiba's main products in this area consist of televisions, video players, DVD players, photocopiers, laptop computers and cellular telephones.