Murata (Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) is a leading global manufacturer of electronic components headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, founded in October 1944 and officially renamed in December 1950 as Murata Manufacturing. Its founder was Akira Murata, who was initially engaged in the production of titanium oxide ceramic capacitors, mainly for use in differential radios. After decades of development, Murata has become a leading company in the electronic components industry, with products widely used in smartphones, tablet PCs, automotive electronics, medical devices and many other fields.