Aiwa Radio Cassette Recorder

Aiwa was founded in 1951 in Japan as Aiko Denki Sangyo Co., Ltd., initially focusing on microphone production before becoming a leader in the audio industry. During the 1980s and 1990s, the brand became synonymous with high-quality portable cassette players, competing directly with the Sony Walkman. Manufacturing during its peak was heavily concentrated in Japan, though the company expanded production to Singapore and Malaysia to meet global demand for its radio cassette recorders and hi-fi systems.

After facing financial difficulties in the late 1990s, Sony Corporation, which had held a majority stake since the 1980s, fully acquired Aiwa in 2002. Sony eventually discontinued the brand globally by 2006. In 2017, the rights to the Aiwa brand name were acquired by Towada Audio, based in Tokyo. Today, the brand is licensed to various regional distributors, such as Aiwa USA and Aiwa India, which produce modern consumer electronics including Bluetooth speakers, smart TVs, and headphones while honoring the brand's Japanese heritage.