Pioneer - The company was founded by Nozomu Matsumoto in January 1938 in Tokyo as a radio and speaker repair shop. In 1947, it was incorporated as Fukuin Denki, and in 1961, it changed its name to Pioneer Electronic Corporation. In the early 1960s, the company expanded internationally, establishing sales offices in Europe and the United States in 1966. In 1970, Pioneer, Warner Bros. Records, and Watanabe Productions formed Warner Bros.-Pioneer Corporation, which became the Japanese distributor for Warner Bros. Records.