Meisei Electric
Japanese electronics manufacturer specializing in meteorological, geological, communications, aviation, and space-related equipment.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Meisei Electric is a Japanese electronics and communications-equipment manufacturer headquartered in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture. Established in 1938 as a radio and electrical business, the company developed into a specialist supplier of observation, sensing, communications, and control technologies. Its work is concentrated in applications where reliable measurement and environmental data are important, including meteorological observation, geological monitoring, earthquake warning, landslide prediction, road-visibility measurement, aviation control, and satellite-based observation. The company’s product scope extends beyond conventional consumer electronics. Meisei Electric designs and manufactures instruments and systems used by public agencies, infrastructure operators, scientific organizations, transport-related customers, and other institutional users. Its equipment includes meteorological sensors and observation systems, earthquake-warning networks, landslide-monitoring sensors, visibility meters for roads, satellite-mounted monitoring cameras, and aviation control systems. This portfolio places the company closer to specialized industrial electronics, environmental instrumentation, and communications engineering than to mass-market electronics brands. Meisei has also participated in aerospace and spaceflight technology. In 2012, it designed and built We-Wish, a miniature infrared-monitoring CubeSat. The project used the standardized CubeSat format and involved assistance from amateur-radio operators. Information from the satellite was made available to Japanese high-school students, giving the project both a technical and educational dimension. We-Wish was transported toward orbit aboard Japan’s Kounotori 3 spacecraft, deployed from the International Space Station on 4 October 2012, and completed its mission before re-entering the atmosphere on 11 March 2013 after more than 150 days of operation. The company also operates Meisei Management Service, a nearby subsidiary involved in maintenance and personnel-management services. This indicates that Meisei’s business model includes not only equipment manufacturing but also after-sales support, maintenance, and operational services. As of 2015, the company employed more than 350 people. Financial performance has varied over time. The reference material reports that Meisei Electric recorded revenue of approximately US$110 million and net income of approximately US$18 million in 2012. In 2014, it reported a net loss of more than US$900,000 amid a substantial decline in revenue. The company returned to overall profitability in 2015 despite a further reduction in revenue. Because the figures are reported in converted U.S.-dollar terms and the available material does not provide a full financial filing, they should be treated as historical reference figures rather than current company data. Meisei Electric has maintained a profile as a technically focused Japanese manufacturer serving specialized measurement, infrastructure, communications, and aerospace applications. Its inclusion in Forbes’ 2012 selection of Asia’s 200 Best Companies Under a Billion provided international recognition, although the company remains primarily known as a business-to-business and institutional technology supplier rather than a consumer-facing brand.
History
Meisei Electric began in Japan in 1938 as a radio and electrical firm. Its early identity was rooted in electronics and communications, but over time the company developed specialized capabilities in measurement, sensing, environmental observation, and control systems. Rather than concentrating on household electronics, it built a business around equipment for technically demanding institutional and infrastructure applications. The company’s later operations covered meteorological observation, geological sensing, communications, road-surface and visibility measurement, earthquake-warning systems, landslide prediction, aviation control, and related electronics. These fields require the integration of sensors, data collection, communications, monitoring software, and durable field equipment. Meisei therefore evolved into a specialist industrial-electronics manufacturer whose products support public safety, transport, scientific observation, and infrastructure management. Meisei Electric is headquartered in Isesaki, in Gunma Prefecture. It also operates Meisei Management Service, a subsidiary in the same area that provides maintenance and personnel-management functions. The subsidiary structure reflects the importance of ongoing servicing and operational support in the company’s equipment businesses. In 2015, the company was reported to employ more than 350 people. A major technology milestone came in 2012, when Meisei designed and built We-Wish, its first satellite. We-Wish was a small infrared-monitoring CubeSat developed using the standardized CubeSat architecture. The project involved assistance from amateur-radio operators, and its data was made available to Japanese high-school students. This educational element connected Meisei’s industrial engineering work with a broader effort to encourage interest in space technology and radio science. We-Wish traveled toward orbit with other CubeSats aboard Japan’s Kounotori 3 spacecraft in July 2012. It was subsequently deployed from the International Space Station on 4 October 2012. The satellite operated for more than 150 days and was intentionally destroyed during atmospheric re-entry on 11 March 2013. The mission demonstrated Meisei’s ability to extend its electronics and sensing expertise into spaceflight hardware. The company received international attention in 2012 when Forbes included it among Asia’s 200 Best Companies Under a Billion. The same period also provides evidence of changing financial conditions. Reported 2012 results were approximately US$110 million in revenue and US$18 million in net income. By 2014, a significant fall in revenue was associated with a net loss of more than US$900,000. Meisei returned to overall profitability in 2015 even though revenue declined further. These figures describe a period of volatility rather than a complete account of the company’s current financial position. Across its history, Meisei Electric has remained characterized by specialized engineering rather than consumer visibility. Its principal identity is that of a Japanese supplier of measurement instruments, environmental and geological sensors, communications equipment, aviation systems, and space-related electronics. The company’s combination of manufacturing, monitoring technology, and maintenance services supports a role in public infrastructure, scientific observation, safety systems, and advanced technical projects.
- 2015
Return to overall profitability
[1]Meisei Electric returned to profitability despite a further fall in revenue.
- 2014
Reported loss amid falling revenue
[1]The company reported a net loss of more than US$900,000 in a year marked by a substantial decline in revenue.
- 2013
End of the We-Wish mission
[1]We-Wish re-entered the atmosphere as planned on 11 March 2013 after more than 150 days of operation.
- 2012
Launch of the We-Wish CubeSat project
[1]Meisei designed and built We-Wish, its first satellite and a miniature infrared-monitoring CubeSat.
- 2012
We-Wish transported toward orbit
[1]The CubeSat traveled with other spacecraft aboard Japan’s Kounotori 3 mission.
- 2012
Forbes recognition
[1]Meisei Electric was included in Forbes’ Asia’s 200 Best Companies Under a Billion.
- 2012
We-Wish deployed from the International Space Station
[1]The satellite was released into orbit on 4 October 2012.
- 1938
Company founded as a radio and electrical firm
[1]Meisei Electric was established in Japan and began operating in radio and electrical equipment.
Products and positioning
Specialist industrial-electronics and sensing manufacturer for meteorological, geological, infrastructure, aviation, communications, and space applications.
Environmental monitoring
Meteorological observation systems
Meisei Electric manufactures systems for collecting and processing weather and atmospheric observations. These systems form part of the company’s broader environmental-instrumentation portfolio and support institutional and infrastructure users that require continuous, reliable measurement rather than consumer-oriented weather products.
Sensing equipment
Geological and environmental sensors
The company produces specialized sensors for geological and environmental monitoring. Applications described for Meisei include earthquake-warning networks and landslide prediction, areas in which field durability, measurement accuracy, communications, and timely data transmission are central requirements.
Transport infrastructure equipment
Road visibility meters
Meisei’s road-visibility meters are designed for transport and infrastructure monitoring. They measure visibility conditions relevant to road operations and safety, forming part of the company’s portfolio of equipment that converts environmental conditions into actionable information for institutional users.
Disaster-monitoring equipment
Earthquake-warning and landslide-monitoring systems
These systems use sensors and communications equipment to support the detection or prediction of hazardous geological events. They represent a core expression of Meisei Electric’s focus on public-safety and infrastructure applications, particularly in environments where early information can support emergency response and risk management.
Space electronics
Satellite-mounted monitoring cameras
Meisei Electric has developed monitoring-camera technology for satellite use, extending its sensing and imaging capabilities into spaceflight applications. The company’s space work includes the We-Wish CubeSat, an infrared-monitoring satellite developed in the CubeSat format.
Aviation electronics
Aviation control systems
The company’s aviation-related portfolio includes control systems and associated electronics. These products broaden Meisei’s activities from environmental and geological observation into specialized systems supporting aviation operations and control.
Satellite · 2012
We-Wish CubeSat
We-Wish was Meisei Electric’s first satellite, a miniature infrared-monitoring spacecraft built according to the standardized CubeSat architecture. Developed with assistance from amateur-radio operators, it supplied data that was made available to Japanese high-school students. It was deployed from the International Space Station on 4 October 2012 and completed a successful mission lasting more than 150 days before planned atmospheric re-entry.
Brand decisions
2012
Development and deployment of the We-Wish CubeSatProduct launchBackground
Meisei Electric expanded its sensing and electronics expertise into small satellites and sought to connect the project with amateur-radio participants and Japanese students.
Action taken
The company designed and built We-Wish, arranged its transport with the Kounotori 3 mission, and deployed it from the International Space Station.
Aftermath
The satellite operated for more than 150 days before its planned destructive re-entry on 11 March 2013.
Recent events
- 2013
We-Wish completes its mission and re-enters the atmosphere[1]
Other
The company’s We-Wish CubeSat ended its mission through planned destructive re-entry on 11 March 2013 after more than 150 days of successful operation.
- 2012
Meisei Electric designs and builds the We-Wish CubeSat[1]
Product launch · Other
Meisei Electric developed its first satellite, the We-Wish CubeSat, an infrared-monitoring spacecraft created with support from amateur-radio operators and intended to make collected data available to Japanese high-school students.
- 2012
We-Wish is deployed from the International Space Station[1]
Product launch · Other
The We-Wish CubeSat was launched from the International Space Station on 4 October 2012 after being transported there with other small satellites aboard Japan’s Kounotori 3 spacecraft.
- 2012
Meisei Electric is recognized by Forbes among Asia’s best smaller companies[1]
Other
Meisei Electric was included in Forbes’ list of Asia’s 200 Best Companies Under a Billion.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/meisei-electric · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled