Despite the spread of computers and smartphones, calculators remain popular in Japan and abroad due to their convenience, while makers continue to create new types to keep up with trends and boost demand.
To mark 60 years since releasing its first calculator in 1965, Casio Computer released on Thursday 650 limited units decorated with Japanese lacquer hand-painted by Echizen artisans, at a suggested price of ?99,000 ($625).
In January, the company released calculators adorned with renowned ukiyo-e traditional woodblock print artist Katsushika Hokusai¡¯s ¡°Fugaku Sanjurokkei¡± (Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji) series, earning strong sales at art museums and airport shops.
Sharp and Canon also continue to produce calculators, supported by solid demand from business people and students working to get qualifications.
New models are developed to meet the needs of the age, including an antibacterial type during the COVID-19 pandemic and using recycled plastic for Europe, where people are highly conscious of the environment.
Sharp was the first Japanese company to release a calculator, in 1964. The first transistorized model weighed 25 kilograms and sold for ?535,000.
In the 1970s, makers rushed to produce smaller and cheaper calculators. Some models were equipped with lighter or gaming features.
Annual calculator shipments in Japan by major makers declined to about 3 million units in the 2020s from some 15 million units in the late 1990s, according to the Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association.
Exports have stayed at 40 million units in recent years, thanks to the popularity of scientific electronic calculators for education and calculators that can print receipts among retailers.
A Sharp official said that calculators survive ¡°because of their usability and visibility as well as the simplicity of functions compared with smartphones.¡±
Tomoaki Sato, senior general manager at Casio¡¯s education division, said that the company will continue to produce calculators in line with the diversification of demand.
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