HITACHI

Corporate brand

Japanese multinational technology and infrastructure group focused on digital systems, energy, mobility, and connected industrial solutions.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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First read: Nov 4, 2026
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Overview

HITACHI, formally Hitachi, Ltd., is a Japanese multinational technology and infrastructure group headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded in 1910 by electrical engineer Namihei Odaira as an electrical-machinery operation associated with the Kuhara Mining enterprise in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture. Its first major product was a 4-kilowatt induction motor intended for mining operations. The company became independent under its current corporate identity in 1920 and developed from a domestic electrical-equipment maker into one of Japan’s most diversified industrial groups. Hitachi’s historical portfolio has included power-generation equipment, railway systems, industrial machinery, elevators, home appliances, computers, semiconductors, hard-disk drives, nuclear technology, construction machinery, automotive components, medical imaging, and financial services. The group’s breadth gave it a substantial presence across Japanese industry, but also created management complexity and exposed the company to cyclical and structurally declining businesses. Following the global financial crisis, Hitachi recorded a record fiscal-year loss of approximately ¥787.3 billion. Under a major restructuring program led by Takashi Kawamura and subsequent management teams, it sold or separated numerous underperforming businesses, reduced the number of listed subsidiaries, and shifted its strategic center toward information technology, infrastructure, mobility, energy, and industrial digitalization. The modern group is generally organized around Digital Systems and Services, Green Energy and Mobility, and Connective Industries. Its activities include enterprise and public-sector information systems, digital engineering, rail vehicles and signaling, power grids, renewable-energy infrastructure, industrial control, elevators, construction machinery, healthcare systems, and data-enabled operational services. Hitachi Energy, created from the former ABB power-grid business, is a major energy-infrastructure operation, while Hitachi Rail combines rolling stock, signaling, and mobility systems in international markets. The company has also participated in partnerships and divestitures involving air-conditioning, automotive components, semiconductor equipment, chemicals, medical imaging, and power generation. Hitachi remains a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed company and a constituent of major Japanese market indices. Its international business is substantial: the company reported that approximately 61 percent of fiscal 2023 revenue came from outside Japan, with Asia, Europe, and North America each making significant contributions. The brand is associated with engineering reliability and large-scale systems rather than with the consumer-electronics identity that was prominent during the late twentieth century. Hitachi withdrew from domestic television production and has progressively reduced its exposure to commoditized consumer products. Its corporate purpose emphasizes the use of data and technology to address social and environmental challenges. The long-running “Inspire the Next” identity and the recognizable Hitachi wordmark support a positioning built around engineering, social infrastructure, and technology-enabled sustainability.

History

Hitachi began in 1910 when Namihei Odaira established an electrical-machinery operation at the Kuhara Mining Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture. Odaira designed a 4-kilowatt induction motor for mining use and pursued the electrification of mine facilities, including the construction of hydroelectric stations. The name Hitachi combines the Japanese characters for sun and rise. The enterprise became independent in 1920 after expanding beyond its original mining relationship, and its headquarters moved to Tokyo in 1918. During the interwar period Hitachi broadened its engineering base. It completed Japan’s first mainline electric locomotive in 1924 and entered elevators and electric refrigerators in the early 1930s. During the Second World War it produced equipment and components for Japan’s armed forces, including aircraft-engine components. The war damaged factories and was followed by internal conflict and the removal of Odaira under the Allied occupation. Hitachi returned to the stock market in 1949, and Odaira returned to the company in 1951 after the end of his occupation-related purge; he died later that year. Postwar reconstruction produced a long period of technical and commercial expansion. Hitachi built its first power shovel in 1949, establishing the foundation for its construction-machinery business. It developed MARS-1, an electronic railway seat-reservation system, in 1960, and expanded overseas through organizations such as Hitachi America and Hitachi Europe. The company contributed rolling stock and control technology to Japan’s Shinkansen system, including automatic train control and computerized traffic management. It also entered nuclear technology, semiconductors, computers, home appliances, and other electrical markets. Hitachi’s semiconductor research became particularly influential through the development of low-power CMOS processes during the late 1970s and 1980s. The group also maintained a significant consumer-electronics presence, selling televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, storage products, and other appliances. Its research laboratories became known for work in electronics and information technology, including a 1989 electron-interference demonstration using an electron-transmitting display. The 2000s brought both technological achievements and structural pressure. Hitachi supported the server infrastructure for the Suica contactless railway-fare system, introduced high-capacity consumer hard drives, and continued to operate across many industrial and consumer categories. The global financial crisis exposed the difficulty of managing such a broad portfolio. In fiscal 2008 the group posted a record loss of approximately ¥787.3 billion. Management responded by selling businesses, consolidating subsidiaries, reducing cross-group complexity, and shifting resources toward information technology and infrastructure. During the 2010s Hitachi sold or reorganized several major businesses. It divested its hard-disk-drive operations, created a thermal-power joint venture with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, formed a heating and air-conditioning joint venture with Johnson Controls, and acquired a major stake in ABB’s power-grid business. It also sold medical imaging to Fujifilm and Hitachi Chemical to Showa Denko. Consumer-electronics exposure declined further: television production in Japan stopped in 2012, and domestic television sales were discontinued in 2018. Nuclear development in the United Kingdom was suspended and later abandoned because financing and economic conditions did not support continuation. In the 2020s Hitachi has concentrated on digital systems, energy, mobility, and connected industrial operations. Hitachi Energy is a central power-infrastructure platform, while Hitachi Rail serves international rolling-stock and signaling markets. The Hitachi Astemo automotive-components business began operations in 2021 following a combination with Honda-related operations. The group’s current identity is therefore less that of a general consumer-electronics manufacturer and more that of a global engineering, digital, and social-infrastructure company.

2021
Hitachi Energy and Hitachi Astemo take shape
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
The ABB power-grid business adopted the Hitachi Energy name, while the automotive-components combination began operating as Hitachi Astemo.
2018
Agreement to acquire ABB power grids
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
Hitachi agreed to acquire a controlling interest in ABB’s power-grid business.
2009
Record loss triggers restructuring
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
A historically large loss accelerated portfolio reform and business disposals.
2001
Suica server system deployment
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
Hitachi built the server-side system supporting the initial Suica contactless fare-card rollout.
1978
Twin-Well Hi-CMOS process
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
Hitachi introduced a significant low-power CMOS semiconductor process.
1960
MARS-1 railway reservation system
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
Hitachi developed an electronic seat-reservation system for Japanese National Railways.
1949
Public listing and construction-machinery entry
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
Hitachi listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and built its first power shovel.
1924
Japan’s first mainline electric locomotive
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
Hitachi completed an electric locomotive for mainline railway service.
1920
Hitachi becomes independent
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
The enterprise began operating independently under the Hitachi name.
1910
Electrical machinery operation founded in Ibaraki
[1]Hitachien.wikipedia.org
Namihei Odaira founded the operation associated with the Kuhara Mining Plant and produced an induction motor for mining use.

Products and positioning

Engineering-led, premium industrial technology and infrastructure brand emphasizing reliability, digital transformation, connectivity, and sustainability.

Railway systems · 1924
Hitachi Rail
Hitachi Rail provides railway rolling stock, signaling, traffic-management systems, and related mobility services. Its historical work includes electric locomotives, Shinkansen equipment, automatic train control, computerized traffic control, and international rail vehicles. The business represents one of the group’s principal infrastructure-oriented activities.
Power and renewable energy · 2018
Hitachi Energy
Hitachi Energy develops power-grid equipment, grid automation, high-voltage systems, renewable-energy integration, and digital solutions for electricity networks. It originated from Hitachi’s acquisition and integration of ABB’s power-grid business and is positioned around the modernization and decarbonization of energy infrastructure.
Digital systems and services · 2016
Lumada
Lumada is Hitachi’s umbrella for data-driven digital solutions, analytics, industrial IoT, and operational technology integration. It is intended to connect Hitachi’s engineering knowledge with software and data services for infrastructure operators, manufacturers, governments, and other enterprise customers.
Construction machinery · 1949
Hitachi Construction Machinery
Hitachi’s construction-machinery business produces and supports excavators, mining equipment, loaders, and related systems. The activity traces back to the company’s first power shovel in 1949 and has developed into a substantial industrial-equipment operation serving construction and resource industries.
Building equipment · 1932
Hitachi elevators and building systems
Hitachi’s building-systems activities include elevators, escalators, building-management technology, and related maintenance services. The company began manufacturing elevators in the 1930s and continues to supply vertical-transportation systems in selected international markets.
Healthcare technology
Hitachi healthcare systems
Hitachi historically supplied medical imaging and healthcare information systems. Its medical-imaging business, including diagnostic equipment, was sold to Fujifilm in 2019, while healthcare-related digital and infrastructure capabilities have remained part of the group’s broader technology portfolio.

Marketing campaigns

2000Inspire the Next
Global
Hitachi adopted “Inspire the Next” as a corporate advertising slogan while progressively reducing reliance on its older monogram as the primary public-facing brand device.
Outcome. The slogan became closely associated with Hitachi’s technology and innovation positioning.
Source
1975Hitachi Tree advertising identity
Japan
Hitachi began using imagery of the large Samanea saman tree at Moanalua Gardens in Hawaii in television advertising. The tree and associated song became a durable symbol of the corporate group and its broad public-facing identity.
Outcome. The symbol became one of the company’s best-known advertising assets and continued in revised form for decades.
Source

Brand decisions

2020
Withdraw from planned UK nuclear projectsStrategy
Background
The Horizon Nuclear Power projects faced financing and economic-viability problems, compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 period.
Action taken
Hitachi abandoned plans to develop nuclear plants in Gloucestershire and Wales.
Aftermath
The decision marked a retreat from the planned UK nuclear expansion while Hitachi concentrated on other energy and infrastructure activities.
Source
2018
Acquisition of ABB power gridsM&A
Background
Hitachi was building a stronger position in energy infrastructure and grid modernization.
Action taken
It agreed to acquire 80 percent of ABB’s power-grid division.
Aftermath
The business became Hitachi ABB Power Grids and was rebranded Hitachi Energy in 2021.
Announced acquisition value. Approximately US$6.4 billion (2018 announcement)
Source
2012
End domestic television productionOther
Background
Hitachi faced pressure in commoditized television manufacturing and sought to concentrate on more defensible businesses.
Action taken
The company announced that it would stop producing televisions in Japan.
Aftermath
Hitachi later withdrew from domestic television sales and focused more heavily on infrastructure and digital businesses.
Source
2011
Sale of HGST hard-disk-drive businessM&A
Background
Hitachi sought to reduce exposure to a storage market undergoing consolidation and regulatory scrutiny.
Action taken
It agreed to sell HGST to Western Digital, with regulatory remedies involving the 3.5-inch business.
Aftermath
The transaction completed in 2012 and removed Hitachi from much of the hard-disk-drive market.
Transaction value. Approximately US$4.3 billion (2011 announcement)
Source
2009
Restructure after record lossStrategy
Background
The financial crisis exposed weak profitability and complexity across Hitachi’s diversified portfolio.
Action taken
Management initiated large-scale disposals, subsidiary consolidation, and a strategic shift toward IT and infrastructure.
Aftermath
Hitachi returned to profitability by March 2011 and continued reducing exposure to weaker businesses.
Source

Recent events

2026.11.01
Reported2026.11.01
Hitachi unveils Hitachi Digital[4]日立推出 Hitachi Digitalnews.google.com
Hitachi unveiled Hitachi Digital, a new global digital services company focused on turning cloud, data, and AI into measurable business outcomes.
2026.08.25
Reported2026.08.25
Hitachi develops selective region encoding technology for Vision Transformer image AI[5]日立开发用于视觉Transformer图像AI的选择性区域编码技术jp.ibtimes.com
Hitachi Ltd. said on August 25 that it developed a selective region encoding technology that limits Vision Transformer computation to selected parts of an image, halving average feature-generation time in a text-search evaluation while maintaining search accuracy. The technology targets manufacturing and maintenance image workflows and is positioned to support Lumada 3.0-related AI platforms.
2021.10.01
Reported2021.10.01
Bao Viet Insurance and Hitachi agree to collaborate on AI-enabled insurance services[6]Bao Viet Insurance与Hitachi达成合作，推动人工智能保险服务finanznachrichten.de
Bao Viet Insurance, Hitachi, and Hitachi Asia (Vietnam) signed an agreement to collaborate on insurance business innovation using digital technologies including AI and big-data analysis.
2021.10.01
Reported2021.10.01
Bao Viet Insurance launches health-risk service using Hitachi technology[6]Bao Viet Insurance与Hitachi达成合作，推动人工智能保险服务finanznachrichten.de
Bao Viet Insurance began offering a health-improvement insurance service through its Bao Viet Direct app, using Hitachi medical-big-data analysis technology to help policyholders assess their risk of lifestyle-related diseases and receive health guidance.
2021.07.13
Reported2021.07.14
Hitachi completes acquisition of GlobalLogic[7]日立完成对GlobalLogic的收购prnewswire.com
Hitachi announced that it had completed its acquisition of GlobalLogic; GlobalLogic became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Global Digital Holdings, a Hitachi subsidiary.
2021.06.10
Reported2021.06.10
Soracom announces partnership with six technology ecosystem participants[8]Soracom 宣布与六家科技生态参与者建立合作finanznachrichten.de
Soracom announced a new partnership involving six participants, including investors and customers. The announcement said the partnership includes new capital investment to support Soracom's global IoT expansion and enhance existing IoT solutions.
2021.04.02
Reported2021.04.02
Hitachi announces acquisition of GlobalLogic[9]日立宣布收购GlobalLogicprnasia.com
Hitachi announced it would acquire GlobalLogic, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approval; completion was planned for the end of July 2021.
2021.03.31
Reported2021.03.31
Hitachi announces acquisition of GlobalLogic for $9.6 billion[10]日立宣布以96亿美元收购 GlobalLogicksat.com
Hitachi said it was buying GlobalLogic for $9.6 billion. The deal was expected to close by the end of July, subject to regulatory approval.
2021.03.04
MC Electrical offers a fixed-price Hitachi heat pump package[11]MC Electrical 推出日立热泵固定价格套餐infonews.co.nz
MC Electrical offered a Hitachi E-series heat pump package for $2,100 during March, including fitting, materials, installation, commissioning and a six-year warranty.
2020.11.04
Reported2020.11.04
Hitachi announces the Lumada Alliance Program[12]日立宣布推出 Lumada Alliance 合作伙伴计划finanznachrichten.de
Hitachi announced the Lumada Alliance Program, a global partner program bringing together organizations to collaborate on digital solutions. Amazon Web Services, Cisco, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Salesforce were identified as initial members.

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