Overview

Casio is a Japanese multinational electronics manufacturer whose modern identity was built around compact, affordable, and function-rich consumer technology. The business began in 1946, when engineer Tadao Kashio established a workshop in Tokyo. After initially performing subcontract manufacturing and making components, the company turned toward calculating machines. Tadao and his brothers Toshio, Kazuo, and Yukio developed the relay-based 14-A calculator, which was introduced in 1957 when Casio Computer Co., Ltd. was established. The machine used a ten-key keyboard and a single display and helped establish Casio as an innovator in office and personal calculation. Casio expanded rapidly as electronic components became smaller and less expensive. Its 001 electronic desktop calculator appeared in 1965, followed by international exports and overseas offices. The 1972 Casio Mini brought a relatively inexpensive six-digit calculator to individual consumers and became a major commercial success. The company subsequently developed scientific, programmable, financial, and graphing calculators, including products used in schools, universities, engineering, and business. Educational products such as ClassWiz and ClassPad remain important parts of the Consumer business. The company entered watches in 1974 with the Casiotron QW02, a digital watch with an automatically adjusting calendar. Casio later combined digital timekeeping with calculators, games, data storage, world time, and environmental sensors. Its most influential watch development was G-Shock. Conceived by engineer Kikuo Ibe in the early 1980s around a target of long battery life, strong water resistance, and resistance to a ten-metre drop, the first G-Shock, the DW-5000C, launched in 1983. G-Shock grew into a global lifestyle and performance brand, joined by Baby-G, Edifice, Oceanus, Pro Trek, and other Casio watch lines. Casio also became a major electronic musical-instrument maker. Its Casiotone 201 keyboard, introduced in 1980, used an electronic sound system capable of producing multiple preset instrument sounds. Later families included portable keyboards, synthesizers, sampling instruments, digital pianos, and digitally assisted learning instruments. Privia and Celviano became prominent digital-piano lines, while Casio keyboards gained cultural visibility through their accessibility and extensive use in popular music. During the 1980s through the 2000s, Casio diversified into personal and office electronics. Its products included electronic dictionaries, organizers, handheld computers, word processors, printers, projectors, mobile phones, and digital cameras. The QV-10, released in 1995, was an early consumer digital camera with an integrated liquid-crystal display for composing and reviewing images; later Exilim cameras emphasized compactness and high-speed shooting. Casio eventually exited page printers and compact digital cameras as those activities became less attractive. Today, Casio's principal activities are concentrated in timepieces and consumer electronics. Timepieces include G-Shock, Baby-G, Edifice, Oceanus, Pro Trek, and watches sold under the Casio name. Consumer products include calculators, electronic dictionaries, label printers, keyboards, digital pianos, and related educational services. Smaller activities include projection technologies, molded components, medical and examination-imaging equipment, hearing-assist products, and the Moflin AI companion device. The company has also restructured or discontinued several legacy operations, including page printers, compact cameras, and certain system-equipment businesses. Its market positioning combines practical utility, technical features, durability, accessible pricing, and distinctive product design.

History

Casio's origins lie in Kashio Seisakujo, a workshop founded by Tadao Kashio in Mitaka, Tokyo, in April 1946. The workshop initially handled subcontract work and manufactured items such as microscope components and gears. Tadao's brothers Toshio, Kazuo, and Yukio later joined him. An early product associated with the business was a ring-mounted cigarette holder, whose proceeds helped finance the brothers' calculating-machine research. After seeing electrically powered calculators at a Tokyo exhibition in 1949, the brothers began developing their own machine. A first prototype used solenoids, but the design was rebuilt around telephone-exchange relays. The result was the 14-A, introduced in June 1957. It performed four basic operations on numbers of up to 14 digits, used a ten-key layout, and displayed inputs and results through a single window. The company describes it as the world's first compact all-electric calculator, while the Information Processing Society of Japan identifies it as the first commercial relay-based calculator. Casio Computer Co., Ltd. was incorporated on 1 June 1957. Casio's calculator business expanded from office machines into desktop, personal, scientific, programmable, and graphing products. The 001, introduced in 1965, was its first electronic desktop calculator. Casio began exporting to Australia in 1966 and opened a European office in Zurich in 1967. The Casio Mini, released in 1972, brought a smaller and lower-priced six-digit calculator to personal users. Its success helped popularize calculators beyond offices, and the Mini series eventually exceeded ten million cumulative sales. Casio later developed products such as the FX-700P pocket computer and the fx-7000G graphing calculator. The company entered watches in November 1974 with the Casiotron QW02. Its automatically adjusting calendar demonstrated the practical advantages of digital electronics in wristwatches. Casio then added calculators, games, telephone-number storage, world time, and sensors to various watch products. In 1981, engineer Kikuo Ibe proposed a shock-resistant watch project based on a three-part target: a ten-year battery, ten-bar water resistance, and survival after a ten-metre fall. The first G-Shock, the DW-5000C, arrived in 1983. G-Shock later became one of Casio's most important global brands, supported by Baby-G, Edifice, Oceanus, Pro Trek, and other collections. Casio entered electronic musical instruments in January 1980 with the Casiotone 201. Designed around a sound-generation system developed by Toshio Kashio, it offered a set of preset sounds in a relatively accessible instrument. The company followed with portable keyboards, synthesizers, samplers, digital wind instruments, MIDI guitars, and digital pianos. A rhythm from the Casiotone MT-40 was used in the development of the 1985 song "Under Mi Sleng Teng," contributing to the keyboard's broader cultural influence. Privia and Celviano became established digital-piano families. From the 1980s through the 1990s, Casio broadened its portfolio with pocket computers, portable televisions, word processors, electronic organizers, business terminals, and electronic dictionaries. It entered digital imaging with the QV-10 in 1995, an early consumer digital camera with a built-in LCD that could be used for both framing and playback. The company later sold compact cameras under the Exilim name. Casio also developed Windows CE handheld computers, mobile phones including the rugged G'zOne line, printers, and projectors. In the 2010s and 2020s, Casio concentrated more heavily on watches, calculators, musical instruments, and selected technologies. It withdrew from page printers in 2016 and compact digital cameras in 2018. The company also changed its projection strategy, moving toward embedded projection modules and other applications rather than relying primarily on conventional data projectors. A 2019 UK regulatory action concerned resale price maintenance for digital pianos and keyboards. In October 2024, a ransomware attack affected internal systems, accounting, deliveries, and information security. Casio subsequently classified some handheld-terminal and electronic-cash-register activities as discontinued businesses and adjusted its segment reporting. Its continuing portfolio includes timepieces, consumer electronics, educational products, label printers, musical instruments, projection technologies, and selected newer devices.

2024
Ransomware incident
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
A ransomware attack disrupts internal systems, accounting processes, deliveries, and information security.
2018
Compact-camera business ended
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Casio withdraws from compact digital cameras after demand declines and losses continue.
2016
Page-printer withdrawal announced
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Casio announces its exit from the page-printer business.
1995
QV-10 digital camera introduced
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Casio releases the QV-10, an early consumer digital camera with an integrated LCD for framing and review.
1983
First G-Shock released
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Casio launches the DW-5000C, the first G-Shock shock-resistant watch.
1980
Casiotone 201 launches
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Casio enters electronic musical instruments with the Casiotone 201 keyboard.
1974
Casio enters wristwatches
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
The Casiotron QW02 becomes Casio's first wristwatch.
1972
Casio Mini launches
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
The compact, lower-priced Casio Mini expands calculator use among individual consumers.
1965
First electronic desktop calculator
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Casio introduces the 001, its first electronic desktop calculator.
1957
14-A calculator and corporate incorporation
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
The Kashio brothers introduce the relay-based 14-A calculator, and Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is incorporated.
1946
Kashio Seisakujo is founded
[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Tadao Kashio establishes a workshop in Tokyo, initially undertaking subcontract manufacturing and producing components.

Products and positioning

A technology-led consumer-electronics brand emphasizing durability, practical functionality, miniaturization, affordability, and distinctive digital design.

watches · 1983
G-Shock
Casio's flagship shock-resistant watch family, developed around durability, water resistance, long battery life, and resistance to impact. Since the DW-5000C launch in 1983, G-Shock has expanded from a specialist tough watch into a broad global lifestyle and performance brand with digital, analog-digital, connected, sports, and collaboration-oriented models.
calculators · 1957
Casio calculators
A broad range covering basic, scientific, financial, programmable, graphing, and educational calculators. Casio's calculator history runs from the relay-based 14-A and the mass-market Casio Mini to modern ClassWiz and ClassPad products used in education, technical work, and business.
electronic musical instruments · 1980
Casiotone
A family of accessible electronic keyboards that began with the Casiotone 201 in 1980. The line helped make electronic accompaniment and preset digital sounds available to a wide consumer audience and remains associated with portable keyboards and beginner-friendly instruments.
digital pianos
Privia
Casio's digital-piano family focused on compact form factors, home use, portability, and digitally generated piano sound. Privia products extend Casio's musical-instrument business beyond portable keyboards into instruments intended for regular piano practice and performance.
digital pianos
Celviano
A Casio digital-piano family positioned toward fuller home-piano formats and traditional playing experiences. It complements the more portable Privia range within Casio's electronic musical-instrument portfolio.
scientific calculators
ClassWiz
A modern scientific-calculator line designed for school, university, and technical applications. ClassWiz models emphasize a clear display, broad mathematical functions, and educational usability.
digital cameras · 2002
Exilim
Casio's compact digital-camera brand, known especially for slim designs and later models with rapid continuous shooting and image-processing features. Casio exited the compact-camera market in 2018.
watches · 1974
Casiotron
Casio's first wristwatch family, introduced with a digital display and an automatically adjusting calendar. Casiotron established the company's early watchmaking identity before the development of G-Shock and later collections.

Controversies

2024
Ransomware and information-security incident
A ransomware attack disrupted Casio's computer systems and accounting processes, delayed financial reporting, affected product deliveries, and exposed personal and confidential information held by the company.
Source
2019
Resale price maintenance investigation and fine
The UK Competition and Markets Authority fined Casio Electronics Co. Ltd. £3.7 million. The regulator said Casio had restricted retailers' ability to set online prices for digital pianos and keyboards between 2013 and 2018; Casio admitted the conduct.
Source

Brand decisions

2024
Response to ransomware attackOther
Background
A ransomware attack affected corporate systems, accounting, deliveries, and information security.
Action taken
Casio investigated and managed the incident while postponing the release of second-quarter financial results.
Aftermath
The incident caused operational disruption and exposure of personal and confidential information.
Source
2018
Exit from compact digital camerasStrategy
Background
Demand for compact cameras declined while the business continued to generate losses.
Action taken
Casio withdrew from the compact digital-camera market.
Aftermath
Exilim compact-camera activity was discontinued.
Source
2016
Exit from page printersStrategy
Background
Casio's page-printer business was no longer a continuing priority.
Action taken
The company announced withdrawal from page printers and subsequently ended Speedia sales.
Aftermath
Page printers became a discontinued activity as Casio concentrated on other product categories.
Source

Recent events

2025
Casio announces absorption merger of Casio Estate[4]Casio announces absorption merger of Casio Estatecasio.co.jp
M&A
Casio announced that it would absorb its wholly owned real-estate management subsidiary Casio Estate, with the parent surviving and the subsidiary dissolving as part of group efficiency measures.
2025
Casio transfers human-resources and SMB software business[5]Casio transfers human-resources and SMB software businesscasio.co.jp
M&A
Casio announced a transfer of its small-business management business to Casio Human Systems followed by the sale of that subsidiary to a Jafco-backed holding company, while retaining an indirect minority interest as planned.
2025
Shin Takano appointed president and CEO[6]Shin Takano appointed president and CEOnikkei.com
Leadership change
Casio announced that CFO Shin Takano would succeed Yuichi Masuda as president and CEO, while Kazuhiro Kashio would continue as chairman without representative authority.
2024
Casio reports lower nine-month net profit amid higher advertising spending[7]Casio reports lower nine-month net profit amid higher advertising spendingnikkei.com
Other · Pricing
Nine-month net profit declined year on year as investment in G-SHOCK events and advertising increased, while weaker demand in North America and China also affected results.
2021
Casio and Bandai Namco released a themed A100WEPC watch[8]Casio and Bandai Namco released a themed A100WEPC watchbaike.baidu.com
Product launch · Campaign
The companies collaborated on a themed retro-style watch based on Casio’s A100 design.
2018
Casio exits the compact digital-camera market[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Other
Casio left the compact digital-camera market amid declining demand and continuing losses in the business.
2018
Casio exited the compact digital-camera market[8]Casio and Bandai Namco released a themed A100WEPC watchbaike.baidu.com
Other
Casio ended its compact digital-camera business as smartphones and market changes weakened demand for standalone small cameras.
2016
Casio withdraws from the page-printer business[1]Casioen.wikipedia.org
Other
Casio announced its withdrawal from page printers, after which sales of the Speedia line ended.
Casio promoted calculators and electronic dictionaries through university KOCs[9]Casio promoted calculators and electronic dictionaries through university KOCszhuanlan.zhihu.com
Campaign
A China-focused campus marketing project used student creators and product experiences on social platforms to reach technical, language and examination-oriented university audiences.