---
endpoint: analytics
pattern: Technology
status: done
latency_ms: 144542
conversation_id: 6aee6574-a0c2-4e38-8ff6-604672922a04
citations: 3
created: 2026-05-31 18:29:30Z
---

# Who are the key shareholders of Sony Group?

## Sony Group Corporation (6758-JP / NYSE: SONY) — Key Shareholders

Sony Group has **no controlling shareholder**. Ownership is widely dispersed across Japanese trust banks (acting as nominees for institutional investors and pension funds), global custodian banks, and large passive asset managers. Below are the disclosed major shareholders, drawn from Sony's most recent quarterly disclosure to the Kanto Local Finance Bureau (as of September 30, 2025) supplemented by separately-filed Bulk Shareholding Reports under Japan's 5% Rule.

### A. Registered Major Shareholders (Top 10, as of September 30, 2025)

These are the names appearing on Sony's official share register. Most are nominees/custodians, not the beneficial owners themselves [1].

| Rank | Registered holder | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | **The Master Trust Bank of Japan, Ltd. (Trust account)** | Japanese trust bank — holds shares in trust for pension funds, mutual funds, and institutional investors [1] |
| 2 | **Moxley and Co LLC** (Local custodian: MUFG Bank) | Nominee of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. — holds shares underlying Sony's ADR program (replaced Citibank as depositary) [1] |
| 3 | **Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd. (Trust account)** | Japanese trust bank — second major domestic trust bank holding shares in trust [1] |
| 4 | **State Street Bank and Trust Company 505001** (Local custodian: Mizuho Bank) | US custodian — nominee for institutional investors in Europe / North America [1] |
| 5 | **State Street Bank West Client – Treaty 505234** (Local custodian: Mizuho Bank) | US custodian — institutional nominee [1] |
| 6 | **Government of Norway** (Local custodian: Citibank, N.A. Tokyo Branch) | Sovereign wealth holder — Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) on behalf of the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global [1] |
| 7 | **JP Morgan Chase Bank 385632** (Local custodian: Mizuho Bank) | Global custodian — institutional nominee [1] |
| 8 | **JP Morgan Chase Bank 385781** (Local custodian: Mizuho Bank) | Global custodian — institutional nominee [1] |
| 9 | **The Bank of New York Mellon 140042** (Local custodian: Mizuho Bank) | Global custodian — institutional nominee [1] |
| 10 | **State Street Bank and Trust Company 505103** (Local custodian: Mizuho Bank) | US custodian — institutional nominee [1] |

**Important reading note**: The top three registered names (Master Trust Bank of Japan, Moxley/JPMorgan ADR depositary, Custody Bank of Japan) are pass-through vehicles. The actual economic exposure behind them is held by underlying investment trusts, pension funds, and ADR holders [1].

### B. Beneficial Ownership Disclosed via Bulk Shareholding Reports (Japan 5% Rule)

These large beneficial owners do not always appear directly on Sony's register because shares are held through multiple custodians and trust accounts; Sony discloses them separately based on filings with the Kanto Local Finance Bureau [2]:

| Beneficial owner group | Shares (thousands) | % of issued shares | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| **BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd. and 11 joint holders** | 532,554 | **8.53%** | 29 Nov 2024 (latest amendment) [2] |
| **Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management Co., Ltd. and 1 joint holder** | 361,355 | **5.88%** | 15 Sep 2025 [2] |
| **Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd. and 3 joint holders** | 63,157 (pre-split basis) | **5.01%** | 30 Sep 2020 (pre-split — equivalent to a larger post-split share count) [2] |

### C. Concentration — Historical Reference Percentages

Sony's last fully tabulated breakdown of registered top-10 percentages (disclosed in the Sony Financial Group spin-off filing, as of September 30, 2023) showed the following concentration [3]:

| Registered holder | % of shares |
|---|---|
| The Master Trust Bank of Japan, Ltd. (Trust Account) | **18.65%** [3] |
| Citibank as Depositary Bank for Depositary Receipt Holders (former ADR depositary) | **9.29%** [3] |
| Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd. (Trust Account) | **7.06%** [3] |
| State Street Bank West Client – Treaty 505234 | **2.06%** [3] |
| Government of Norway | **1.62%** [3] |

(Post October 2024 5-for-1 stock split and the recent partial spin-off of Sony Financial Group, the register has been re-shaped — the depositary role moved from Citibank to JPMorgan/Moxley, and BlackRock's beneficial stake has grown above 8.5% per its latest 5% Rule filing [1][2].)

### Key Takeaways

- **No controlling shareholder**: Sony is a widely-held company. The largest registered holder (Master Trust Bank of Japan, ~18.7% at last disclosed percentage) is a trustee, not a single beneficial owner [3].
- **Heavily institutionalized**: Japanese trust banks (Master Trust Bank of Japan, Custody Bank of Japan) plus global custodians (State Street, JPMorgan/Moxley, BNY Mellon) account for the bulk of the register [1].
- **Largest disclosed active beneficial owner**: **BlackRock** group at ~8.5% via passive index/ETF exposure [2].
- **Notable sovereign holder**: **Norway's Government Pension Fund Global** (via NBIM), one of only two named end-investors on the register [1].
- **Other large Japanese asset managers** in the beneficial-owner layer: **Sumitomo Mitsui Trust AM** (~5.9%) and **Nomura AM** (~5.0%) [2].

---
**Sources**
[1] 2025 6-K Sony Group Corporation — "Status of Major Shareholders (As of September 30, 2025)" (Sony Group, Q2 FY3/26)
[2] 2025 6-K Sony Group Corporation — Bulk Shareholding Report disclosures (BlackRock, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust AM, Nomura AM)
[3] 2024 6-K Sony Group Corporation — Sony Financial Group spin-off filing, major shareholders as of September 30, 2023

## Citations

- [1] **2025 6-K Sony Group Corporation** · external
- [2] **2025 6-K Sony Group Corporation** · external
- [3] **2024 6-K Sony Group Corporation** · external — <https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/313838/000115752324000062/a53882633.htm>

