In 1972, Mr. Morita set up a subsidiary to export American products, like Regal cookware and Whirlpool refrigerators, to Japan.
''Selling pans and cookware and refrigerators was not our bag, but Akio believed in doing something for the U.S.-Japan relationship,'' said Sadami (Chris) Wada, who ran that effort and then handled government relations for the Sony Corporation of America for many years. The operation was abandoned some years later as unsuccessful.