http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsushita_Electric_Industrial_Co.

Company founded by Konosuke Matsushita in 1918. In 1961, the founder traveled to the United States and founded a Matsushita Communication Industrial Co Ltd, best known for its Panasonic brand consumer and industrial products. Matsushita Communication Industrial specializes in three business areas: mobile communications, automotive multimedia, and system solutions. The company used the National trademark outside of North America during the 1950s through the 1970s