History of Fujitsu

• Main article about the company: Fujitsu
• Fujitsu financials
• Fujitsu in Russia and the CIS countries
• Fujitsu Partner Network

2023: In the top 5 world ranking of DBMS developers PostgreSQL

The company Fujitsu entered the top 5 of the world ranking of developers DBMS with, open source PostgreSQL prepared and published at the end of March 2023 by analysts. The EnterpriseDB (EDB) top five also includes EDB,, and Postgres Professional(). Microsoft Amazon AWS

World ranking of open source DBMS developers PostgreSQL according to EDB

The EDB ranking ranks companies by their contribution to the 15 version of PostgreSQL, released in September 2022. For analysis, EDB used release notes as well as a list of PostgreSQL committers. The analysis did not take into account independent and freelance developers. Read more here.

2022: Plan to discontinue production and sales of mainframe and Unix-based servers

The Japanese Fujitsu confirmed the imminent cessation of sales of its own mainframes servers and based on the operating system family. Unix This became known on February 28, 2022.

According to the roadmap published on the company's official website, mainframe production and sales will stop in 2030 financial - - by Unixservers 2029. Support services for the already delivered hardware will be provided for an additional five years - until 2035 and 2034, respectively. Fujitsu expects its customers to switch to using the cloud services company afterwards.

Fujitsu plans to bring to market another mainframe model of the GS21 line. This should happen in 2024. In addition, the company expects to expand the line of Unix servers Fujitsu Sparc M12 - in 2022 and 2026. Fujitsu's press release accompanying the roadmap says that the latter may still undergo changes.

The company invites its mainframe and Unix server customers to migrate to the cloud as part of Fujitsu Uvance at the end of the product lifecycle. Under this brand, Fujitsu plans to operate on a service model, providing access, in particular, to high-performance computing (HPC) services with additional capabilities at the request of the client.

In fact, Fujitsu outlined a deadline for its customers to move their applications using the company's equipment to another platform or adapt them to work in a more up-to-date computing infrastructure. For many business representatives, the end of the mainframe lifecycle and the associated need for migration can pose a serious challenge. For such companies, buying Fujitsu hardware was a long-term and expensive investment, and the equipment in them is used to solve business-critical problems.

A lot of these mainframes are still here as the code continues to run and business logic is tied to hardware, "said Philipp Dawson, vice president of Gartner Research. In other words, this kind of equipment remains in demand as long as there is a need for applications "sharpened" for it. In fact, Linux replaced Unix. But there is no such replacement for mainframes. When the hardware is no longer there, what to do with applications?[1].

2020

Fujitsu chief slashed 50% pay for Tokyo Stock Exchange glitch

In early December 2020, it became known about a 50% reduction in the salary of Fujitsu President Takahito Tokita for a period of four months. This decision was made after a large-scale failure occurred in the computer system of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, which uses the company's equipment, on October 1, 2020. Read more here.

Closing 50% of offices and moving to remote work

On July 6, 2020, it became known that the Japanese company Fujitsu decided to permanently reduce the area of ​ ​ rented office space by 50% over the next three years. 80 thousand employees of the company will switch to remote operation.

Under the Work Life Shift program, Fujitsu employees are expected to pay ¥5 thousand (about $46) monthly. This encouragement is expected to enable employees to organize a new workplace in the best possible way and quickly become accustomed to the new job performance format.

In Japan, many companies are urging their employees to return to offices after the forced quarantine triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, but often face resistance from workers. The results of a study organized by representatives of the Japanese Center for Labor Productivity in May showed that over 60% of employees surveyed would like to continue working remotely even after the end of the pandemic. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the Cabinet Minister found that 25% of Japanese residents would like to move out of town.

Fujitsu permanently closes half of its offices and moves to remote work

According to Miki Shoji data released in early July 2020, over the past few Tokyo months, there has been an increase in the number of open vacancies for office work, this is the first time since 2012. Fujitsu believes that a remote employment format will increase the productivity of workers, as they will be able to independently organize their working day taking into account the scope of tasks, job duties and personal needs. The Work Life Shift program will not affect those employees who are required to perform complex processes using special equipment.

By the beginning of July 2020, Fujitsu ranks 17th in the ranking of the largest employers in Japan, on its account approximately 130 thousand employed citizens.^[2]

Multi-Gigabit Rate Data Session Using 5G Carrier Aggregation

Fujitsu Limited and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. crossed the next milestone by successfully completing a 5G NR data session, during which a multi-gigabit 5G connection was established with carrier aggregation in the ^[3] range: ^[4] This was announced on May 12, 2020 by Qualcomm Technologies. Read more here

2019

Allocating $5 billion for the company's digital transformation

In late September 2019, Fujitsu announced the launch of a digital transformation (CT) program for its business. For these purposes, the Japanese company allocates 500 billion yen ($4.6 billion), which will be spent over the next five years.

In October 2019, Fujitsu launched the position of Director of Digital Transformation. It was taken by the president of the company Takahito Tokita.

Fujitsu Announces Digital Transformation (CT) Program for Its Business

Fujitsu held a presentation for investors in which it announced plans to turn from IT into a CT company. To do this, it is planned to invest in advanced technologies that help solve social problems, as well as in the further improvement of technologies and services that support business growth.

Fujitsu will invest in venture financing and asset acquisition projects that create new business areas. Another area for investment will be staff. All this should lead to an increase in sales and profitability, the company expects.

Part of the digital business transformation program is the restructuring of Fujitsu's EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) division to focus more on services rather than hardware. The company's plant in Augsburg (Germany) will cease operation in September 2020, and product sales will be transferred to partners in about half of the countries.

Fujitsu is creating a new organization in Europe that will focus on work in two main regions: Northern and Western Europe, as well as Central and Eastern Europe.

In a press release, Fujitsu also noted that despite all the changes, the company will continue to develop its telecommunications equipment business. The Japanese vendor intends to use its experience to offer companies devices and local 5G services.

Revenue decline 2.4% to 3.86 trillion yen

In the 2019 fiscal year, which ended at the end of March 2020 calendar, Fujitsu 3.86 trillion yen ($35.39 billion at the weighted average exchange rate dollar of the reporting period, which is indicated in the company's statements), which is 2.4% less than sales a year ago. The company linked the decline to a restructuring of its consumer computer business and its Device Solutions division.

The Technology Solutions division registered a 1.3 percent increase in turnover in 2019 fiscal year, up to 3.16 trillion yen. Here, most of the revenues were brought by services (mainly systemic integration) - 2.67 trillion yen (+ 0.3%). Sales of system platforms rose by 6.8% and reached 491.3 billion yen, this included network equipment, the sale of which increased by 2.8%, to 186.4 billion yen.

Fujitsu financials

In 2019, the Ubiquitous Solutions division showed revenue growth of 7.4%, to 547.8 billion yen, which was largely facilitated by strong computer sales due to the termination of support for Windows 7 and the transition of companies to Windows 10.

Revenue towards Device Solutions at the end of fiscal 2019 was 317 billion yen, having decreased by more than a third compared to the previous year. The main reason for this decline is due to the restructuring, on which Fujitsu spent about 175 billion yen. In the fourth quarter of 2018, the indicators of subsidiaries for the production of chips and electronic components were excluded from the reporting. The company also notes the reorganization of the plant in the Japanese prefecture of Mie, which is not taken into account in the financial results from the third quarter of 2019. If you do not take these factors into account, then sales at Device Solutions increased slightly in 2019, says Fujitsu.

The net profit of the Japanese corporation in fiscal 2019 increased to 160 billion yen from 104.5 billion in 2018.^[5]

2018

Kaga Electronics buys Fujitsu Electronics

On September 10, 2018, electronics manufacturer Kaga Electronics announced the acquisition of chip manufacturer Fujitsu Electronics from Fujitsu Semiconductor. Read more here.

Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor sale to UMC for $520.25 million

On June 29, 2018, Japan's Fujitsu announced the sale of Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor to Taiwanese contract chipmaker United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC). Read more here.

Phone Business Sale

On January 31, 2018, Fujitsu announced the sale of the phone business to concentrate on IT services.

According to Reuters news agency, citing a statement from Fujitsu, the company sells a controlling stake (70%) of Fujitsu's Connected Technologies division , which develops and manufactures smartphones.

The asset is being bought by Polaris Capital Group, an investment fund. The value of the transaction was not disclosed, but Fujitsu says that the company in fiscal 2017 will be able to earn about 30 billion yen ($276 million) from the sale of shares in Fujitsu Connected Technologies and the receipt of securities of the new company Fujitsu Peripherals, created on the basis of the telephone business of the Japanese IT giant. The company will keep a 30% stake in Fujitsu Connected Technologies.

Fujitsu sells phone division

Earlier in January, Reuters reported that Polaris Capital could acquire most of Fujitsu's mobile phone division, which is estimated at about 40-50 billion yen ($365-456 million).

According to the Nikkei business publication, as part of the deal, Polaris Capital will receive Fujitsu personnel and factories, but the Japanese company will continue to manage its Arrows phone brand, however, already under the control of Polaris.

The Yomiuri newspaper writes that Polaris Capital plans to bring Fujitsu Peripherals to the stock exchange in a few years. The investment company itself did not confirm, but did not deny this information.

After Fujitsu left the smartphone market, only three Japanese manufacturers (Sony, Sharp and Kyocera) will remain on it, while in the early 2000s there were more than ten. Since then, most of these companies have wound down their mobile businesses, unable to withstand competition from Apple and Samsung, as well as Chinese manufacturers of low-cost devices. It was difficult for Japanese vendors to gain a foothold in the international arena, so they focused on the domestic market.^[6]

2017

Investment in Canadian Quantum Computing Software Developer

At the end of November 2017, it became known that the company Fujitsu invested almost 2 billion yen ($17.9 million) in a Canadian developer ON for. With the quantum computing 1QBit help of the development of the latter Japanese , the IT giant expects to accelerate the commercialization of its own computer using quantum technologies.

Fujitsu takes 9.3 percent stake in 1QBit, becoming the company's largest shareholder from the non-financial sector

In a press release, the 1QBit reported that as part of the second round of attracting investments, the company received C $45 million ($35.11 million). The main investor was Fujitsu. Other companies that have provided funds to the start-up include Accenture, Allianz, as well as Royal Bank of Scotland and crown fund CME Ventures.^[7]

According to the Japanese publication Nikkei, Fujitsu received a 9.3 percent stake in 1QBit and became the largest shareholder in the company from the non-financial sector. For research, development and sales, Fujitsu will send its executives and engineers to 1QBit. ^[8]]

Fujitsu's equity contribution 1QBit deepens the relationship between the companies that agreed to a business partnership in May 2017.

1QBit is considered one of the leaders in the development of software for quantum computers - computing devices, whose work is based on the principles of quantum mechanics, which allows them to compute 100 million times faster than the largest modern computer systems.

The 1QBit is headquartered in Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada), and the company has more than 50 mathematicians, physicists, chemists, programmers and other industry experts who work on machine learning algorithms and create software for quantum computing. 1QBit 's clients include international Fortune 500 companies, including DowDuPont and Biogen.

Lenovo PC Business Sale

On November 2, 2017, Lenovo announced the acquisition of Fujitsu's computer business after losing its status as the world's largest PC manufacturer.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lenovo receives a controlling stake (51%) in the Fujitsu Client Computing desktop and laptop division. As part of the transaction, the Chinese company is guaranteed to pay 17.85 billion yen ($156.7 million) from its own funds, and also undertakes to transfer from 2.55 to 12.75 billion yen by 2020, depending on the performance of the acquired business. Thus, the purchase of Fujitsu PC assets could cost Lenovo up to $269 million, the news agency said. Reuters

Another 5% of Fujitsu Client Computing buys the state-owned Development Bank of Japan for 2.5 billion yen ($22 million). The rest (44%) of the structure is taken by Fujitsu. It is planned to close the transaction in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 (April-June of calendar year 2017).

Lenovo buys Fujitsu PC assets for up to $269 million

Fujitsu calls this agreement the creation of a joint venture (JV). Once the deal closes, the brand will remain in the Fujitsu market and the company will continue to support corporate customers directly or through partners around the world.

Thanks to this collaboration, Fujitsu and Lenovo intend to maintain the growth, scalability and competitiveness of their PC business in Japan and abroad. The JV will be able to leverage Fujitsu's capabilities in global sales, customer support, R&D, manufacturing automation and system integration, and Lenovo's broad global presence, according to a press release on the deal.^[9]

According to the business publication Nikkei, Fujitsu Client Computing, which by the beginning of November 2017 has more than 900 people, as well as the production base for the production of laptops in the Japanese prefecture of Shiman will remain intact.

Back in October 2016, Fujitsu and Lenovo announced a strategic partnership for PC development, production and research. Since then, the companies have been negotiating the structure of the joint business.

According to Reuters, in 2017 Lenovo lost to HP Inc. the title of the world's largest manufacturer of personal computers, after which it began to consider opportunities to strengthen this business. Largely due to problems in the PC market in the second quarter of 2017, Lenovo received its first losses in two years, and in the third quarter, the company's net profit decreased by 11%.

Computers are still central to Lenovo. This is still a solid market, corporate customers still use PCs. I think this area is worth the investment, "said Yang Yuanqing, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO.

According to IDC analyst  Brian Ma, the purchase of Fujitsu assets should help Lenovo close the gap with HP Inc. in the computer industry. In April-September 2017, the share of the American company was 1-2 percentage points more than that of the Chinese, the expert noted.

He also expressed the opinion that the deal with Fujitsu is aimed at strengthening Lenovo's position in the Japanese market, where the company is already leading. Fujitsu's global business is too small to add much revenue to Lenovo, Ma said.

On the news of the purchase of a controlling stake in Fujitsu Client Computing, Lenovo jumped 5% on November 2, 2017, the strongest rise since August.^[10]

Creating the world's first wearable translator

On September 19, 2017, Fujitsu announced the creation of the world's first wearable translator device and testing before the commercial introduction of the gadget.

According to PCMag, in 2016, Fujitsu Laboratories, in collaboration with clinic specialists at the University of Tokyo Hospital (University of Tokyo Hospital) and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), successfully tested tablets with translator function. The devices perceived and recognized speech in three languages ​ ​ - Japanese, Chinese and English, and automatically translated into one of the supported languages.^[11]

Fujitsu decided to go further and reduced the device by creating a compact wearable translator that can be attached to clothes like a badge.

Fujitsu has developed the world's first wearable translator

With the help of a multidirectional microphone, the gadget perceives speech in the three languages ​ ​ mentioned above, recognizes it with an accuracy of 95% and automatically translates it. No physical manipulation is required to use the device. Thanks to this feature, a wearable translator will be useful to the staff of medical institutions: it will help medical workers, whose hands are often busy, overcome the language barrier with foreign patients.

From November 2017, Fujitsu will begin clinical trials of wearable translators in medical institutions throughout Japan, including in a clinic at the University of Tokyo.

In case of positive results, it is planned to increase the number of supported languages, as well as expand the scope of the devices, covering areas such as tourism and public services. Commercial adoption of Fujitsu wearable translators is scheduled for fiscal 2018.^[12]

Transfer of 35,000 employees to remote work

On February 28, 2017, Fujitsu announced the transition of all employees in Japan to remote work. Such a large-scale project, involving the completion of work tasks remotely, was not launched by any other Japanese company, Nikkei notes.

According to Fujitsu, on April 21, 2017, the process of transferring all personnel in the company's Japanese offices to remote work will begin. We are talking about 35 thousand people, including marketing specialists, programmers and administrators. They will get all the IT solutions they need to work from home or elsewhere.

Fujitsu Office in Japan

A pilot project to transfer 1,400 Fujitsu employees to work outside offices began in 2015 and ended in 2017. Its goal was to increase flexibility and productivity while maintaining a proper level of safety.

Japanese Fujitsu employees who want to work remotely must obtain permission from their immediate supervisors. At the same time, no time restrictions on remote work are expected.

Fujitsu notes that the new labor system has a number of advantages: workers do not need to go to offices, they can also take care of children or elderly family members, competently allocating personal and working time. The manufacturer hopes that such a model will attract more new specialists and better retain existing ones.

To monitor the process of personnel reorganization, a special committee was created. He will also be responsible for the development of new initiatives aimed at transforming the labor system throughout the company. During the mass transition to remote work, it is planned to often hold explanatory meetings and electronic training courses for ordinary employees and managers.^[13]

2016: 2,200 job cuts

On October 11, 2016, Fujitsu announced the reduction of about 2,200 jobs as part of the business restructuring program in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa), to which Russia belongs .

According to Reuters, citing a statement by Fujitsu, the company will liquidate about 1,800 working positions in the UK, which corresponds to 18% of the staff of the Japanese IT vendor in the country. The layoffs, which will begin in 2017 and could last until 2018 inclusive, will cover Fujitsu's largest businesses and offices in Foggy Albion.

Fujitsu cuts staff as part of business restructuring in EMEA

Fujitsu argues that the decrease in the number of personnel in the UK is in no way related to the country's plans to leave the European Union. The measures have become part of a transformation agenda at the company's EMEA division to "improve customer support in the digital transformation era."

As part of this program, Fujitsu plans to optimize its business in order to remain competitive in the market, the company said.

Unite union chief curator Ian Tonks called the job cuts at Fujitsu's UK dealership a "devastating blow" to employees and the wider British economy.

It's not good news for the British economy as the company says many of those jobs will be moved overseas. Increased automation has also affected layoffs, Tonks said.

The restructuring of activities in EMEA did not only affect the British staff of Fujitsu. The company also announced the dismissal of 400 employees in Finland, where the manufacturer employs about 2,500 people.

The Financial Times writes that Fujitsu is making adjustments to its work amid competition with cloud companies, as well as falling computer sales due to the growing popularity of mobile devices. According to a number of authoritative media outlets, Fujitsu will sell its PC business to Lenovo, the deal will be announced at the end of October 2016.^[14]

2015: Telephone and Computer Business Branch, Internet of Things Bet

In July-September 2015, Ubiquitous Solutions, which until the announced restructuring oversaw the production of phones and PCs under the Fujitsu brand, showed an operating loss of 4.6 billion yen ($37.5 million) against 5.5 billion yen ($44.8 million) cash losses a year earlier. At the same time, the department's revenue rose 6.9% to 261.8 billion yen ($2.1 billion), helped by growing sales of mobile phones - especially devices from the Raku-Raku series (models for the elderly). At the same time, the demand for Fujitsu computers (mainly designed for corporate customers) is declining, according to the vendor's financial report.

In November 2015, Fujitsu announced the restructuring of the computer and telephone business, as well as the creation of the Internet of Things (IoT) division.

According to Fujitsu's statement, made as part of the publication of the report for the second quarter of fiscal 2015, all assets related to the development, production and sale of personal computers and smartphones are allocated to two new companies fully controlled by Fujitsu.

According to rumors, the vendor's PC business may be combined with similar assets Toshiba and Vaio.

Fujitsu separates phone and PC business, and creates IoT division

The Japanese manufacturer explained its decision by the growing commoditization of the PC and mobile phone markets: these products, which previously required some unique knowledge that came as a result of complex experience, have now become an impersonal product, which does not require a developed technical base to create.

By separating the telephone and computer areas from the main structure, Fujitsu expects to improve the development of competitive and high-quality products, putting them on the market in a timely manner in accordance with its needs.

In addition, Fujitsu intends to accelerate the development of the IoT business, so it has formed a new division specifically for it, which will work within the main group. All technologies available to corporations in the field of the "Internet of Things" will be transferred to this business unit, as well as teams and departments related to the planning, development, production and sale of these products.^[15]

Evolution of Fujitsu. Infographics

2014:1820 U.S. patents for the year

In 2014, Fujitsu received 1,820 patents in the United States, ranking 13th among all companies in the number of patents in the United States last year. All these patents lie in six areas: optical signal processing, input signal processing, base station technologies, storage unit, information processing, as well as Fujitsu wireless communication^[16].

IP WatchDog analyzed^[17] the most interesting patents received by Fujitsu in the United States in 2014.

In particular, Fujitsu has received a patent for a remote patient health tracking system (U.S. Patent No. 8928671 'Recording and analyzing data on a 3D avatar' http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8928671.pdf), consisting of a number of wearable devices (biosensors) and specialized software. The company proposes to put a ring on the patient's finger that will measure the pulse and oxygen content in the blood by translucent skin (an infrared light emitter and a photosensor are used). It is also planned to use a non-invasive glucometer to measure blood sugar levels (it can be ultrasonic, electromagnetic or thermal), and an accelerometer to monitor the motor activity of patients. The system also includes an application for a smartphone, which asks at certain intervals to answer what the patient is in the mood. If the mood is good, then it can be assumed that he is doing well. If the patient signals a depressed state, it makes sense for doctors to take a closer look at his physical state. The software also includes a pain alarm tool: if a patient has problems, he can use a special application to inform doctors about the nuances of his sensations - the place of pain, the causes that caused it, as well as the intensity.

Curious is a patent dedicated to a new method of navigation using smartphones (U.S. Patent No. 8938360 `Guidance Apparatus and Guidance Method` http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8938360.pdf). Quite often there are situations when a person, even with a navigation program running on a smartphone, does not understand where he is and where he needs to go. In particular, it can be beneficial for women and the elderly. To do this, Fujitsu suggests using vibration prompts: "moving in the right direction" and "moving in the wrong direction." In particular, the method of vibration prompts is planned to be used at intersections, suggesting whether the pedestrian turned correctly. In addition, it is proposed to use a simple method of indicating the path: if you need to go forward, a special pointing finger will glow at the top of the smartphone screen. If it's time to turn right, the icon moves to the right of the screen. If you need to move diagonally forward and left, the icon will swim to the upper left corner of the screen.

In addition, Fujitsu patented a new method for preventing collisions of cars (U.S. Patent No. 8907814 'Cooperative Vehicle Collision Warning System' http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8907814.pdf), when the braking machine signals a decrease in its speed not only with visually red lanterns, but also sends an appropriate wireless signal to all cars driving behind.

Another patent focused on the standardization of wireless charging of mobile devices (U.S. Patent Application No. 20150008736 `Wireless Power Transmission System and Wireless Power Transmission` http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20150008736.pdf). Fujitsu scientists separately considered the situation when there are several wireless chargers and several rechargeable batteries. The researchers proposed an option for optimal control of such a multi-component system, given the phenomenon of electromagnetic resonance and assigning one of the chargers to the main (power source master), and others to the secondary (power source slave).

2010: Products and Services

By 2010, Fujitsu products include high-performance enterprise-class servers and storage, fixed computers and laptops, workstations, and tablet laptops. Many components - motherboards, processors, memory modules, hard drives, keyboards and monitors - are manufactured in the company's own factories. This makes it possible to constantly monitor the quality of products.

2009: Rebranded as Fujitsu Technology Solutions

Since April 1, 2009, the company is called Fujitsu Technology Solutions and specializes in IT solutions. Officially presented in Russia by Fujitsu Technology Solutions.

In 2009, Fujitsu introduced the fastest SPARC64 VIIIfx microprocessor on the market, capable of 128 billion computing operations per second.

2008

Since 2008, Fujitsu's strategic focus has been the development of dynamic infrastructures, involving the delivery of complete service and product solutions and managed infrastructures for offices and data centers. The company is also developing new infrastructure-as-a-service offerings.

In 2008, Fujitsu will announce a FX1 server that uses technology closure to improve the performance of the SPARC64 VII quad-core processors.

During this period, Fujitsu is the third largest IT service provider in the world and the market leader in Japan.

In the fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2008, the company's consolidated income amounted to 5.3 trillion yen (53 billion dollars USA). For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, Fujitsu Limited's total revenue was 4.8 trillion yen (US $46 billion).

In 2008, Siemens announced that the computer business was not specialized for the company and left Fujitsu Siemens Computers. Accordingly, Fujitsu bought out the share of partners for €450 million and inherited all regional offices and staff of Fujitsu Siemens Computers.

2002

In 2002, Fujitsu created a huge scalar system for parallel computing, breaking the world record for theoretical peak system performance.

1999: Creation of Fujitsu Siemens Computers

In 1999, a subsidiary of Fujitsu Siemens Computers was established.

1994

Since 1994, when the company installed a computing system in Japan's national aerospace laboratory, Fujitsu has been among the leaders in the list of manufacturers of the world's fastest computers. This was followed by the development of another 500 supercomputers with various improvements.

1992: IT Service Package Launch

Since the 1990s, the era of widespread development of networks, multimedia and the Internet has begun. As a result, the computer industry has changed significantly: now companies do not just produce separate equipment, but provide information resources and services.

In June 1992, Fujitsu introduced PROPOSE (PROfessional total supPOrt Service), a service system for implementing and supporting information and telecommunications systems. For the first time, Fujitsu offered customers a set of services paid separately.

Typically, customers assumed that the cost of services was included in the price of equipment. However, other tech companies soon followed Fujitsu's lead and began developing and offering independent IT services. The whole industry has changed. The PROPOSE service subsequently earned Fujitsu an award from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (today the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) of Japan.

1984

Enterprise Network Support System

In the field of telecommunications, Fujitsu also managed to achieve high results during this period. In 1984, Fujitsu introduced COINS ("Enterprise Information Network System"), a service designed to support enterprise networking. The following year, the Japanese telecommunications industry was deregulated, allowing companies to set up their own telecommunications networks. This helped companies improve operational efficiency; after initial investments in its own networks, companies no longer had to pay additional deductions.

In 1988, the Fujitsu FETEX-150 digital switching system began to be used in Singapore in a new commercial integrated service network (ISDN).

Renaming to Fuji Electric

In 1984, Fuji Denki Seizō K.K. became known as Fuji Electric.

1981: Late Entry into the Personal Computer Market

Nowadays, when thinking about computers, most of us immediately present a personal computer. Previously, when people talked about computers, as a rule, they meant mainframe computers and other large computers designed for business use. Initially, Fujitsu focused on the development of just such large business computers. However, the situation has changed fundamentally with the advent of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

In the 1980s, IBM architecture-based personal computers took a leading position in the market as computer companies introduced newer and newer IBM PC/AT-compatible computing machines. In the 1990s, the popularity of the Microsoft Windows operating system grew, which allowed personal computers to perform many of the tasks previously available only on large computers, and eventually became the de facto international standard.

However, Fujitsu still considered only mainframe computers intended for use in companies and government agencies as computers. The importance of developing personal computers for individual use was not immediately appreciated, so the company belatedly started producing them.

Fujitsu introduced its first personal computers, including the FM-8 and FACOM 9450, in 1981, followed by the FM TOWNS computer with support for graphics processing in 1989. Although these computers enjoyed some popularity, Fujitsu was inferior to competitors, as it pursued its own development path and its computers were not compatible with the IBM platform.

1978: Agreement with Siemens to co-produce computers

The company works closely with Siemens AG. In April 1978, an agreement was concluded between the companies on the joint production of computers.

1970s: IBM-compatible mainframes

The history of technology development is also the history of standards development. Even if the manufacturer creates products according to its own standards and it becomes a de facto standard, other manufacturers will strive to make their own products that will be compatible with it. Computers are no exception in this sense, so Fujitsu had to choose the right path for further development.

Until the 1970s, the software of one company did not work on the equipment of another company, since all computer manufacturers created their computers according to their own proprietary technical specifications.

In the 1970s, IBM's architecture became the de facto international standard. This meant that the production of computers compatible with IBM hardware and capable of performing the same software provided an opportunity to gain a certain market share. However, for most manufacturers who created IBM-compatible machines, the result was completely different - intense competition led to the fact that many companies ceased operations.

Based on international standards and creating superior quality products, Fujitsu dramatically changed its strategy. At first, thanks to the consistent lifting of trade restrictions, Fujitsu formed a partnership with Hitachi on the terms that the two companies would share an IBM-compatible architecture.

When Dr. Gene Amdahl, who led the development of IBM 360 series computers, left IBM and founded Amdahl Corporation, Fujitsu invested in a new company (in 1997, this company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu) and with it developed IBM-compatible mainframe systems. Amdahl's first commercial product, the 470 V/6 computer, was produced at the Fujitsu factory in Kawasaki. These mainframes, which passed an exceptionally strict testing procedure, were acquired in 1975 by the American National Agency for Aeronautics and Space Research (NASA).

1968: Japan's first online deposit service system

1968 was also remembered for the fact that Fujitsu supplied Dai-Ichi Bank (currently Mizuho Bank) with the first online deposit service system made in Japan. This system (the main infrastructure system for the Japanese economy) was a huge achievement for the computer division of Fujitsu. With this deal, Fujitsu became the leading computer manufacturer in Japan.

In addition, Fujitsu was developing semiconductor components for its computers and communication devices. Although semiconductor components were originally made exclusively for their own products, Fujitsu began selling them to other companies in Japan and beyond. All of these memorable events occurred less than 10 years after Okada set a course for the development of the computer business.

1959: Okada's new chief makes a bet on computers

With the release of the FACOM100, Fujitsu was able to confirm its potential in the field of computer development. However, the company was still not ready to fully refocus on the computer market. At that time, the fifth president of Fujitsu, Kanjiro Okada, made a fateful decision: to connect the company's future with computers.

The inscription in the photograph, which means "limitless growth" in Japanese, is a corporate slogan proposed by President Okada. It was fully in line with the spirit of those reforms Okada implemented to ensure Fujitsu's leadership in the computer industry.

The development of computers was a difficult task, for the successful implementation of which a lot of investment was required. Okada, who became president of Fujitsu in 1959, did his best to develop this project. In addition, Okada predicted a future convergence of telecommunications and electronics. He organized two separate units to ensure the company's financial stability was maintained - one unit concentrated its efforts on telecommunications equipment and the other specialized in computers. On New Year's Eve 1962, in an address to the staff, Okada announced that he was linking the company's future with computers and introduced a new management policy called Communications and Electronics. Given that the computer division made less than 10% of the profit at that point, such a decision was very bold for the company.

1958: Commercial Computer Model

In 1958, a commercial FACOM100 model called FACOM128B, which had several times the speed and expanded memory, became extremely popular. It begins to be used not only in universities and research institutes, but also in industrial enterprises.

In subsequent years, Fujitsu has been the first in the world to introduce the most innovative technologies and developments. Thus, the company has completed several projects to create supercomputers for research organizations. A team led by Toshio Ikeda created the first supercomputer in Japan, FACOM 230-75 APU, which was launched at the Japanese space agency JAXA.

1954: First Japanese Computer

At the same time, engineers from Fuji Tsushinki Manufacturing's research and design division were looking for ways to create a new business direction for the company. Their efforts were concentrated around the idea of ​ ​ creating an "electronic computer" that would be able to perform a large number of complex calculations in a short period of time. In the early 1950s, most computers used tube circuits, but this technology was unreliable and unstable. Therefore, in 1954, the leading engineer of Fujitsu, Toshio Ikeda, who went down in the computer history of Japan as "Mr. Computer," and his team developed the first Japanese electronic computer FACOM100 (Fuji Automatic Computer).

Fujitsu FACOM100 is the first Japanese electronic computer based on automatic relays. Next to the FACOM100 is Toshio Ikeda (third from right), a Fujitsu engineer who went down in Japanese computer history as "Mr. Computer," and Dr. Hideki Yukawa (second from right), a Nobel Prize winner in physics.

In the early 1950s, most computers used tube circuits, but this technology was unreliable and unstable. Therefore, Ikeda and his team developed the FACOM100 computer, which used telephone line switches serving as relays. Relays have been used in switching telephone systems for a long time and have proven themselves well.

The creation of FACOM marked the beginning of Fujitsu's computer business. The success of FACOM allowed Fujitsu to enter a new market and instilled a new sense of confidence in the company's young engineers.

At that time, the main business of Fujitsu was the production of telecommunications equipment, so telephone switches were FACOM100 used in the computer.

1945: Restoration of Japan's telecom infrastructure

After World War II, Fuji Tsushinki Manufacturing Corporation took an active part in restoring Japan's telecommunications infrastructure. The government appointed her as the official manufacturer of telephone and telegraph equipment, so the company developed very quickly.

1935: Spin-off of Fuji Tsūshinki

On June 20, 1935, Fuji Tsūshinki Seizō (Fuji Telecommunications Equipment Manufacturing), which was engaged in telephony equipment and later became Fujitsu Limited (Tsushinki means "telecommunications equipment" in Japanese), was separated from Fuji Denki Seizō K.K. as a branch of the communication division.

1923: Earthquake, creation of Fuji Denki JV

The company's history dates back to 1923, when the powerful Kanto earthquake destroyed much of the communal infrastructure in Tokyo and Yokohama, including damage to telephone lines and substations. Restoring the lost infrastructure, the Ministry of Communications and Transport decided to introduce automatic switching systems that had just begun to appear in Europe and America (before the advent of automatic systems, operators manually connected subscribers via telephone lines using a mechanical switch). This led to the rapid development of telephony in Japan.

Automatic switching system that used to connect telephone subscribers

In 1923, Fuji Denki Seizō K.K., a joint venture between Siemens AG and Furukawa Denki Kōgyō, was founded. The company aims to develop the production of generators and electric motors in Japan. At first, the company imported and sold switches and telecommunications equipment manufactured by Siemens, but then it mastered the production of its own automatic switching systems.

Notes