was a
Japanese businessman and inventor who founded
Pioneer Corporation. He was born in
Kobe, Japan in 1905, the son of a Christian missionary. In 1936, he founded the Fukuin Shokai Denki Seisakusho company in Osaka, whose name roughly translates to "Blessed Sound Electric Company" or "Gospel Electric Company", owing to Matsumoto's Christian faith and belief that his electronic products could help in missionary works. In 1937 he created the A-8 speaker which he christened 'Pioneer'. Matsumoto relocated to
Tokyo in 1938 and started a small factory which repaired radios and speakers. After the war the company expanded rapidly.