Launches "New Lifestyle" product strategy

Markets GT-123T, a radio-cassette player with Sharp's exclusive automatic song selection feature

Begins mass production of CMOS LSI chips using the film carrier method

Sharp solar cells installed on "Ume", Japan's first working satellite

Markets EL-8026, the first solar-powered calculator

Develops 3 cm-thick EL television

Markets EL-8130, the world's first 5 mm-thick, sensor-touch electronic calculator. It was promoted with a campaign stating, "The age of the button is over."

Builds Japan's first word processor prototype

Markets CT-1804X, a TV that allows viewers to watch two channels at once on one screen

Markets EL-8140, a 3.8 mm-thick card-sized calculator

Establishes Shop Planning Center

Markets VC-6080, a VCR featuring an original front-loading mechanism

Markets GF-808, a dual-cassette radio-cassette player allowing easy dubbing of cassettes

Markets IQ-3000, Japan's first pocket-sized electronic translator

Markets WD-3000 Japanese word processor

Markets EL-8152, the world's thinnest calculator at 1.6 mm

Builds experimental "solar house" at Advanced Development and Planning Center in Tenri, Nara

Launches Sharp Business Machine Dealers Association

Establishes Sharp Manufacturing Company of America (SMCA) as manufacturing base in the US

Establishes Sharp Electronics (Nordic) AB (SEN) as sales base in Sweden

Chairman Tokuji Hayakawa passes away (June 24)

Launches "New Business" product strategy

Announces goal of becoming a one-trillion-yen company

Markets R-5800, the world's first convection microwave oven incorporating a vapor sensor and microcomputer

Markets CS-6500 calculator that uses voice synthesis technology to announce figures and totals

Markets FO-2000/1000 facsimiles and becomes comprehensive electronic office equipment manufacturer

Combines office equipment companies to form Sharp Business Co., Ltd.

Establishes Sharp-Roxy Electronics Corporation (M) Sdn. Bhd. (SREC), a joint manufacturing company in Malaysia