Canon

Traded as:TYO: 7751 NYSE: CAJ

Canon Inc. is an interesting option for those looking to invest in a Japanese company that derives most of its revenue from sales abroad. It’s a multinational manufacturer of imaging and optical products, such as cameras, camcorders, computer printers and photocopiers.

Canon Inc. has a primary listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

Since the end of 2011, Dutch printer maker Océ has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon Inc.

Short facts about Canon Inc.

Japanese nameキヤノン株式会社
Transcribed nameKiyanon Kabushiki-gaisha
English nameCanon Inc.
Company typePublic (K.K.)
Traded asTYO: 7751 NYSE: CAJ
Index inclusionTOPIX Core 30
FoundedIn Tokyo on the 10th of August, 1937.
FounderGoro Yoshida Saburo Uchida Takeshi Mitarai Takeo Maeda
IndustryElectronics
Area servedWorldwide
HeadquarterŌta, Tokyo, Japan   (30-2 Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 146-8501, Japan)
SubsidiariesOcé
Examples of key productsDigital cameras Camcorders LCDs Lenses Magnetic heads Micro motors Ophthalmic instruments Photocopiers Printers Scanners SLR cameras Still cameras
Number of employees197,673 (2017)

Operations

With its global headquarter in Tokyo, Canon Inc. also have regional headquarters throughout the world. The two principal subsidiaries for the European market are Canon Europa NV in Amsterdam and Canon Europe Ltd in Uxbridge, UK.

Canon Inc. is organised into three principal business segments:

Office Business Unit
Consumer Business Unit
Industry and Others Businesses Unit

Recent events

When?What?
March, 2017Canon Europe announce their acquisition of London-based startup Kite
March, 2016Canon acquires the Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation for 5.9 million USD.
April, 2015Canon Europe announce their acquisition if London-based photo sharing startup Lifecake.
April, 2015Canon completes acquisition of Swedish Security Camera maker Axis Communications.
June, 2014Canon announce acquisition of Danish IP Surveillance VMS software company Milestone Systems.
February, 2014Canon announce that they would acquire U.S.- based Molecular Imprints Inc.

Background

Canon has its roots in the company 精機光學研究所 (Seikikōgaku kenkyūsho), known in English as Precision Optical Industry Co. Ltd.

In 1934, the Kwanon was created – a prototype for Japan’s first-ever 35 mm camera with a focal-plane-based shutter. (This prototype was largely derived from cameras produced by the German company Leica.) The name Kwanon comes from the Buddhist bodhisattva 観音, whose name has variously been transcribed to English as Kwanon, Kwannon, Kuanyin or Guan Yin.

During its early years, the company didn’t have the facilities required to produce its own optical glass and used lenses from Nippon Kogaku K.K. (the later Nikon Corporation) instead.

Examples of notable milestones

1940: Canon develops Japan’s first indirect X-ray camera.

1958: Canon introduces a field zoom lense for television broadcasting

1959: Canon introduces the world’s first movie camera with a zoom lens

1961: Cannon introduces the Rangefinder Canon 7 camera.

1964: Canon introduces the first Japanese made 10-key calculator.

1976: Canon introduces a camera with an embedded micro-computer.

1985: Canon introduces the world’s first Inkjet printer with bubble-jet technology.

1992: Canon introduces a camera with eye-controlled AF.

1992: Canon introduces its first digital camera.

1995: Canon introduces a commercially available SLR lens with internal image stabilization.

1996: Canon introduces a pocket-sized digital camera with the Advanced Photo System.

2004: Canon introduces the XEED SX50 LCD projector.

2005: Canon introduces its first high-definition camcorder.

This article was last updated on: March 12, 2025