1973

Tokyo Shibaura Electric (Toshiba Corporation of today) decided it wanted its Export Department to produce audio devices overseas for resale export. It searched for a company that could collaborate in the venture, but instead the decision was made to establish a new company, which would become Sanko International.
We worked with customers, beginning at the product planning stage, to design audio devices like radios and cassette recorders, under the guidance of electrical and mechanical technicians. We provided technical assistance to an overseas factory and launched manufacturing there — this project, by a Japanese company manufacturing products in another country, was ahead of its time.
The project remained on track and our company’s establishment was registered in May 1974.

1977

We designed a clock radio with LED display, and had it manufactured in South Korea by Seung Ri Electronics of the SsangYong Group.
The same type of substrate was used to manufacture three brands of radios — Toshiba, JC Penney, and RadioShack — and these were exported by Toshiba.

1979

We completed the design of the upper substrate for a stereo radio cassette player. The Overseas Procurement Section of Toshiba’s First Export Department marketed the product for Toshiba. Many players were exported from the overseas manufacturer, taking advantage of the very low cost and notably high performance.
Seung Ri Electronics of the SsangYong Group (South Korea) began manufacture of the RT-2140S. The design of this portable stereo cassette recorder would later become a model for the Toshiba Audio Business Department’s 100S series.

1982

Toshiba’s Export Department ended its resale operations, integrating its operations with the Audio Business Department. Our company maintained its business relationship with that department, while taking advantage of other business opportunities as an original equipment manufacturer to begin exports directly to companies such as General Electric (the Thomson of today) and RadioShack. And so it was that Sanko International, although a small company, began dealing with major global companies.
We began manufacturing multiband radios with the same printed circuit board under three famous brands: General Electric (the 7-2955A), RadioShack (the 12-781), and Toshiba (the RP-F5). These enjoyed much positive attention in their day.

1983

We received orders for three types of pocket radios with headsets, the GE Marquis Collection I, II and III (only 12.5 mm thick, a world pioneer at the time).
More than 1 million of these models, the 7-1110A, 7-1250A and 7-1750A, were sold. The super-thin radios were much imitated, setting the standard in the consumer market.

1984

We succeeded in the economical design of a thin pocket radio using technology developed by GE and other companies, and with this design created the Toshiba RP-20, which went on sell more than 500,000 units.

1985

We launched the RadioShack 12-120 AM-FM receiver.
This model, which drew on innovations seen in the GE 7-1750A, became a long-run model enjoying sales in the millions, with production shifting from South Korea to China. It was later replaced by the 12-136.
For General Electric, we developed the 3-5435A compact cassette player with graphic equalizer, and had it manufactured by Seung Ri Electronics of South Korea.
We imported and marketed in Japan the hot-selling mono radio cassette player Toshiba RTF35.

1986

We became one of the initial corporate users of the 1.5V IC semiconductor developed by Toshiba, to develop a stereo headset radio powered by one AAA battery.
We began marketing the RadioShack 12-128, which became a long-run model selling very well.
General Electric launched a second version of the very popular compact cassette player 3-5437A.
We developed a wireless telephone for the disabled and elderly, for the New York Telephone Company, a member of the AT&T Group of the United States that was eager to follow up on the International Year of Disabled Persons.
We prepared for the mass production of models such as the Microcassette Mecha made by Olympus, but unfortunately abandoned plans because performance did not meet requirements.
This was our first setback since our company was established, and became a lesson we took to heart.

1987

We developed the large General Electric 3-5633B dual cassette recorder, and had it manufactured in South Korea.

1989

Up until this time, our production had been basically concentrated in South Korea, but due to changing circumstances that country was no longer suitable for us as a manufacturing center, so we shifted production.
We began a business partnership with Up-Today of Hong Kong.
We began exports of CKD radio kits to Iraq, through Mitsubishi Corporation and Toshiba.
Up-Today of Hong Kong began accepting delivery of components for assembly in a factory located next to a missile plant. Sanko International technicians resided in Hong Kong to provide technical guidance.
We began exporting radio kits from Toshiba to El Araby of Egypt. Our company technicians provided technical guidance there, giving them a chance to also see the pyramids and the Sphinx.

1991

We developed and began exporting the Tour Talk TT-101 to T.P. Oceania Pty Limited, an Australian affiliate of the huge travel agency JTB Corporation. The device was used to receive the automatic local broadcast of explanations in museums, art galleries, zoos, etc.

1993

We completed development of a shortwave receiver that sold more than 1 million during a seven-year run promoted by RadioShack. This was the RadioShack 20-212 DX375 radio, which offered digital tuning and was powered by two C batteries. At the time it was without a doubt the world’s most well-known shortwave receiver.

1998

We designed the business-oriented SD-B100 DVD player (actual model), and had it manufactured in China. This was a first for a DVD device in China. The device was sold in Japan by Toshiba, and enjoyed rave reviews for its high quality.
Also in China, for the consumer market we manufactured a DVD player and changer models for two or three DVD inserts. This served as an example for other companies considering manufacturing DVD players in China, and after this time it became common to do so.

1999

We received an order for a portable SSB transceiver (the RadioShack 20-223). We finished developing it, but before mass production was to start it was realized that much more time would be required. The order was unfortunately canceled and we had to withdraw from the project.

2000

We developed the RadioShack 12-932, a digital radio with headsets offering superb sound quality. It went on to enjoy a long run lasting more than a decade.

2004

We took on production of the Toshiba Gigabeat, a digital audio player for overseas markets.
The model for the Japanese market was produced in Japan by Toshiba, although we supplied case components for it from China.
Also in China, we produced exterior components for a projector model and began importing them into Japan. This led to the manufacture in China of the projectors themselves, and their being shipped from there.

2005

For 32 years we had occupied our office premises in Takanawa 4-chome in central Tokyo, but the building was pulled down because it contained asbestos, and we moved to the Shirokanedai 2-chome district, just a 10-minute walk away. Our telephone number remained the same, and we began enjoying our new, beautifully appointed premises.

2007

We began exporting to RadioShack the Sleep Machine, a relaxation-inducing device using sound and fragrance.

2008

We began exporting to RadioShack the Sleep Machine 2, which featured the addition of light and proved to be very popular.

2009

We began deliveries of CD radios and CD radio cassette players to a Toshiba affiliate, for the Japanese market.

2013

We withdrew from set business for avoiding competition of portable CD products.

We developed high quality headphone with Up-Today.

We began to sell RZE-S70, and RZE-S60 in Japan from Toshiba LE Trading Co.

Our high performance headphone that is first product from Toshiba has draws many people's attention.

2014

We retreated CD products, and saved business, and moved from Shirogawa to Takanawa.

Takanawa office is near Shinagawa Station, and phone number was not changed.

We added the headphones, new models RZE-D50, and RZE-D40 of Toshiba.

2015

We did not found reseller bussiness for scale down of Toshiba consumer electric business.

2016

Toshiba damaged by the detection of profit manipulation.

Toshiba decided to sell consumer electric business to the china company, and should need to shrink business again.