Sony (SONY) 20-F 26 Jun 20 2020 FY Annual report (foreign) Financial data

Cover Page

Cover Page	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020shares
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	20-F
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2020
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Registrant Name	SONY CORP
Entity Central Index Key	0000313838
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--03-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Document Transition Report	false
Document Annual Report	true
Document Shell Company Report	false
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Document Registration Statement	false
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity File Number	1-6439
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	M0
Entity Address, Address Line One	7-1, KONAN 1-CHOME
Entity Address, City or Town	MINATO-KU
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	108-0075
Entity Address, Country	JP
Document Accounting Standard	U.S. GAAP
Business Contact [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Contact Personnel Name	J. Justin Hill, Senior Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations
Entity Address, Address Line One	25 Madison Avenue, 26th Floor
Entity Address, City or Town	New York
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	10010-8601
Local Phone Number	833-6722
City Area Code	212
American depositary shares
Document Information [Line Items]
Trading Symbol	SNE
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	114,612,168
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Title of 12(b) Security	American Depositary Shares
Common stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Trading Symbol	SNE
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	1,220,159,940
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	¥ 1,512,357	¥ 1,470,073
Marketable securities (including assets pledged that secured parties are permitted to sell or repledge of 15,437 yen and 17,521 yen in 2019 and 2020)	1,847,772	1,324,538
Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets	1,028,793	1,091,242
Allowance for doubtful accounts	(25,873)	(25,440)
Inventories	589,969	653,278
Other receivables	188,106	223,620
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	594,021	509,301
Total current assets	5,735,145	5,246,612
Film costs	427,336	409,005
Investments and advances:
Affiliated companies	207,922	163,365
Securities investments and other (including assets pledged that secured parties are permitted to sell or repledge of 832,984 yen and 930,882 yen in 2019 and 2020)	12,526,210	11,561,286
Long-term Investments, Total	12,734,132	11,724,651
Property, plant and equipment:
Land	81,482	83,992
Buildings	659,556	664,157
Machinery and equipment	1,725,720	1,585,382
Construction in progress	76,391	39,208
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross, Total	2,543,149	2,372,739
Less - Accumulated depreciation	1,634,505	1,595,686
Property, plant and equipment, net	908,644	777,053
Other assets:
Operating lease right-of-use assets	359,510
Finance lease right-of-use assets	33,100
Intangibles, net	906,310	917,966
Goodwill	783,888	768,552
Deferred insurance acquisition costs	600,901	595,265
Deferred income taxes	210,372	202,486
Other	340,005	339,996
Other noncurrent assets	3,234,086	2,824,265
Total assets	23,039,343	20,981,586
Current liabilities:
Short-term borrowings	810,176	618,618
Current portion of long-term debt	29,807	172,461
Current portion of long-term operating lease liabilities	68,942
Notes and accounts payable, trade	380,810	492,124
Accounts payable, other and accrued expenses	1,630,197	1,693,048
Accrued income and other taxes	145,996	135,226
Deposits from customers in the banking business	2,440,783	2,302,314
Other	733,732	666,024
Total current liabilities	6,240,443	6,079,815
Long-term debt	634,966	568,372
Long-term operating lease liabilities	314,836
Accrued pension and severance costs	324,655	384,232
Deferred income taxes	549,538	531,421
Future insurance policy benefits and other	6,246,047	5,642,671
Policyholders' account in the life insurance business	3,642,271	3,048,202
Other	289,285	281,382
Total liabilities	18,242,041	16,536,095
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	7,767	8,801
Commitments and contingent liabilities
Sony Corporation's stockholders' equity:
Common stock, no par value - 2019 - Shares authorized: 3,600,000,000; shares issued: 1,271,230,341 2020 - Shares authorized: 3,600,000,000; shares issued: 1,261,058,781	880,214	874,291
Additional paid-in capital	1,289,719	1,266,874
Retained earnings	2,768,856	2,320,586
Accumulated other comprehensive income -
Unrealized gains on securities, net	161,191	135,035
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments, net	1,248	(19)
Pension liability adjustment	(235,520)	(310,457)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(509,872)	(435,229)
Debt valuation adjustments	1,973
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Total	(580,980)	(610,670)
Treasury stock, at cost Common stock 2019 - 20,483,474 shares 2020 - 40,898,841 shares	(232,503)	(104,704)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent, Total	4,125,306	3,746,377
Noncontrolling interests	664,229	690,313
Total equity	4,789,535	4,436,690
Total liabilities and equity	¥ 23,039,343	¥ 20,981,586

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Marketable securities current pledged with secured parties	¥ 17,521	¥ 15,437
Investment securities pledged with secured parties	¥ 930,882	¥ 832,984
Common stock, par value
Common stock, shares authorized	3,600,000,000	3,600,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	1,261,058,781	1,271,230,341
Treasury stock, common stock shares	40,898,841	20,483,474

Consolidated Statements of Inco

Consolidated Statements of Income - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Sales and operating revenue:
Revenue	¥ 8,259,885	¥ 8,665,687	¥ 8,543,982
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	4,753,174	5,150,750	5,188,259
Selling, general and administrative	1,502,625	1,576,825	1,583,197
Financial services expenses	1,171,875	1,112,446	1,042,163
Other operating (income) expense, net	(3,611)	(71,568)	4,072
Costs and Expenses, Total	7,424,063	7,768,453	7,817,691
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	9,637	(2,999)	8,569
Operating income	845,459	894,235	734,860
Other income:
Interest and dividends	19,278	21,618	19,784
Gain on sale of securities investments, net			1,517
Gain on equity securities, net		118,677
Other	2,671	4,440	2,427
Other income, Total	21,949	144,735	23,728
Other expenses:
Interest	11,090	12,467	13,566
Loss on devaluation of securities investments			4,955
Loss on equity securities, net	20,180
Foreign exchange loss, net	26,789	11,279	30,634
Loss on pension plan amendment	6,358
Other	3,541	3,576	10,384
Other expenses, Total	67,958	27,322	59,539
Income before income taxes	799,450	1,011,648	699,049
Income taxes:
Current	172,391	166,748	127,685
Deferred	4,799	(121,650)	24,085
Income tax expense, Total	177,190	45,098	151,770
Net income	622,260	966,550	547,279
Less - Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	40,069	50,279	56,485
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	¥ 582,191	¥ 916,271	¥ 490,794
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders
- Basic	¥ 471.64	¥ 723.41	¥ 388.32
- Diluted	¥ 461.23	¥ 707.74	¥ 379.75
Product and Service
Sales and operating revenue:
Revenue	¥ 6,856,090	¥ 7,306,235	¥ 7,231,613
Financial services revenue
Sales and operating revenue:
Revenue	1,299,847	1,274,708	1,221,235
Other Operating Revenue
Sales and operating revenue:
Revenue	¥ 103,948	¥ 84,744	¥ 91,134

Consolidated Statements of Comp

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	¥ 622,260	¥ 966,550	¥ 547,279
Other comprehensive income, net of tax -
Unrealized gains on securities	40,390	33,285	1,070
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments	1,267	1,223	(1,184)
Pension liability adjustment	74,971	(13,960)	12,390
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(75,888)	8,444	(6,335)
Debt valuation adjustments	3,032
Total comprehensive income	666,032	995,542	553,220
Less - Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	54,151	57,669	60,403
Comprehensive income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	¥ 611,881	¥ 937,873	¥ 492,817

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	¥ 622,260	¥ 966,550	¥ 547,279
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities -
Depreciation and amortization, including amortization of deferred insurance acquisition costs and contract costs	416,642	374,026	361,444
Amortization of film costs	329,809	348,493	359,274
Accrual for pension and severance costs, less payments	8,948	(33,631)	4,113
Other operating (income) expense, net	(3,611)	(71,568)	4,072
(Gain) loss on securities investments, net (other than financial services business)	20,177	(118,630)	3,438
(Gain) loss on marketable securities and securities investments held in the financial services business, net	93,088	(66,383)	(47,119)
Deferred income taxes	4,799	(121,650)	24,085
Equity in net (income) loss of affiliated companies, net of dividends	(5,114)	7,947	(2,956)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets	62,654	1,144	(80,004)
(Increase) decrease in inventories	40,315	30,455	(51,508)
Increase in film costs	(361,194)	(410,994)	(362,496)
Increase (decrease) in notes and accounts payable, trade	(91,435)	18,534	(87,939)
Increase (decrease) in accrued income and other taxes	(40,144)	(20,039)	29,181
Increase in future insurance policy benefits and other	520,683	544,179	495,419
Increase in deferred insurance acquisition costs	(99,433)	(88,807)	(86,779)
Increase in marketable securities held in the life insurance business	(124,270)	(64,034)	(89,797)
(Increase) decrease in other current assets	(37,286)	16,576	3,776
Increase (decrease) in other current liabilities	(27,083)	56,723	151,805
Other	19,940	(110,153)	78,683
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,349,745	1,258,738	1,253,971
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for purchases of fixed assets	(439,761)	(312,644)	(262,989)
Proceeds from sales of fixed assets	18,758	17,585	60,599
Payment for EMI Music Publishing acquisition, net of cash acquired		(244,197)
Proceeds from sales of businesses	12,816		44,624
Other	(14,729)	(30,821)	(12,046)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,352,278)	(1,307,445)	(823,068)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	118,447	94,351	125,092
Payments of long-term debt	(198,055)	(382,671)	(44,561)
Increase in short-term borrowings, net	193,332	123,979	35,145
Increase in deposits from customers in the financial services business, net	258,720	246,945	169,479
Dividends paid	(49,574)	(38,067)	(28,490)
Payments for purchase of treasury stock	(200,211)	(100,177)	(198)
Other	(17,107)	(35,203)	(10,011)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	65,658	(122,884)	246,456
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents, including restricted	(21,643)	52,465	(53,044)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted	41,482	(119,126)	624,315
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted, at beginning of the fiscal year	1,473,813	1,592,939	968,624
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted, at end of the fiscal year	1,515,295	1,473,813	1,592,939
Less - Restricted cash and cash equivalents, included in other current assets and other assets	2,938	3,740	6,610
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the fiscal year	1,512,357	1,470,073	1,586,329
Cash paid during the fiscal year for -
Income taxes	216,922	210,499	101,092
Interest	10,000	10,882	12,169
Non-cash investing and financing activities -
Obtaining assets by entering into finance leases	6,478	32,541	21,762
Financial Services Business
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for investments and advances	(1,319,062)	(1,078,250)	(963,210)
Proceeds from sales or return of investments and collections of advances	343,740	309,498	317,159
Other than financial service business
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for investments and advances	(48,853)	(53,525)	(13,801)
Proceeds from sales or return of investments and collections of advances	14,456	2,442	¥ 6,596
Nile Acquisition LLC
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment for purchase of noncontrolling interest		(32,041)
Spotify Technology SA
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds to sale of shares		¥ 82,467
Olympus Corporation
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds to sale of shares	80,357
Game Show Network LLC
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment for purchase of noncontrolling interest	¥ (39,894)

Consolidated Statements of Chan

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Total	Common stock	Additional paid-in capital	Retained earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income	Treasury stock, at cost	Sony Corporation's stockholders' equity	Noncontrolling interests
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2017	¥ 3,135,422	¥ 860,645	¥ 1,275,337	¥ 984,368	¥ (618,769)	¥ (4,335)	¥ 2,497,246	¥ 638,176
Issuance of new shares	976	488	488				976
Exercise of stock acquisition rights	9,065	4,533	4,532				9,065
Conversion of convertible bonds	24	12	12				24
Stock-based compensation	3,160		3,160				3,160
Comprehensive income:
Net income	547,279			490,794			490,794	56,485
Other comprehensive income, net of tax -
Unrealized gains (losses) on securities	1,070				(444)		(444)	1,514
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments	(1,184)				(1,184)		(1,184)
Pension liability adjustment	12,390				12,292		12,292	98
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(6,335)				(8,641)		(8,641)	2,306
Total comprehensive income	553,220						492,817	60,403
Stock issue costs, net of tax	(879)		(879)				(879)
Dividends declared	(49,136)			(34,775)			(34,775)	(14,361)
Purchase of treasury stock	(199)					(199)	(199)
Reissuance of treasury stock	4		0			4	4
Transactions with noncontrolling interests shareholders and other	(4,500)		(73)				(73)	(4,427)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	3,647,157	865,678	1,282,577	1,440,387	(616,746)	(4,530)	2,967,366	679,791
Cumulative effect of newly adopted ASUs	(2,118)			7,976	(15,526)		(7,550)	5,432
Issuance of new shares	862	431	431				862
Exercise of stock acquisition rights	16,348	8,174	8,174				16,348
Conversion of convertible bonds	16	8	8				16
Stock-based compensation	1,159		1,159				1,159
Comprehensive income:
Net income	966,550			916,271			916,271	50,279
Other comprehensive income, net of tax -
Unrealized gains (losses) on securities	33,285				24,370		24,370	8,915
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments	1,223				1,223		1,223
Pension liability adjustment	(13,960)				(14,013)		(14,013)	53
Foreign currency translation adjustments	8,444				10,022		10,022	(1,578)
Total comprehensive income	995,542						937,873	57,669
Stock issue costs, net of tax	(147)		(147)				(147)
Dividends declared	(73,009)			(44,048)			(44,048)	(28,961)
Purchase of treasury stock	(100,177)					(100,177)	(100,177)
Reissuance of treasury stock	4		1			3	4
Transactions with noncontrolling interests shareholders and other	(48,947)		(25,329)				(25,329)	(23,618)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	4,436,690	874,291	1,266,874	2,320,586	(610,670)	(104,704)	3,746,377	690,313
Cumulative effect of ASU 2016-02	(7,472)			(7,472)			(7,472)
Issuance of new shares	1,058	529	529				1,058
Exercise of stock acquisition rights	10,359	5,179	5,180				10,359
Conversion of convertible bonds	430	215	215				430
Stock-based compensation	1,980		1,980				1,980
Comprehensive income:
Net income	622,260			582,191			582,191	40,069
Other comprehensive income, net of tax -
Unrealized gains (losses) on securities	40,390				26,156		26,156	14,234
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments	1,267				1,267		1,267
Pension liability adjustment	74,971				74,937		74,937	34
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(75,888)				(74,643)		(74,643)	(1,245)
Debt valuation adjustments	3,032				1,973		1,973	1,059
Total comprehensive income	666,032						611,881	54,151
Stock issue costs, net of tax	(80)		(80)				(80)
Dividends declared	(80,996)			(55,111)			(55,111)	(25,885)
Purchase of treasury stock	(200,211)					(200,211)	(200,211)
Reissuance of treasury stock	2		0			2	2
Cancellation of treasury stock			(1,072)	(71,338)		72,410
Transactions with noncontrolling interests shareholders and other	(38,257)		16,093				16,093	(54,350)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2020	¥ 4,789,535	¥ 880,214	¥ 1,289,719	¥ 2,768,856	¥ (580,980)	¥ (232,503)	¥ 4,125,306	¥ 664,229

Consolidated Statements of Ch_2

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (Parenthetical) - ¥ / shares	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Dividends declared, per share	¥ 45	¥ 35	¥ 27.50

Nature of operations

Nature of operations	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of operations	1 Nature of operations Sony Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Sony”) are engaged in the development, design, production, manufacture, offer and sale of various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments and devices for consumer, professional and industrial markets such as network services, game hardware and software, televisions, audio and video recorders and players, still and video cameras, smartphones, and image sensors. Sony’s primary manufacturing facilities are located in Asia including Japan. Sony also utilizes third-party contract manufacturers for certain products. Sony’s products and services are marketed throughout the world by sales subsidiaries and unaffiliated distributors as well as direct sales and offers via the internet. Sony is engaged in the development, production, manufacture, and distribution of recorded music and the management and licensing of the words and music of songs as well as production and distribution of animation titles, including game applications based on the animation titles. Sony is also engaged in the production, acquisition and distribution of motion pictures and television programming and the operation of television and digital networks. Further, Sony is also engaged in various financial services businesses, including life and non-life

Summary of significant accounti

Summary of significant accounting policies	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of significant accounting policies	2 Summary of significant accounting policies The accompanying consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Certain adjustments and reclassifications have been incorporated in the accompanying consolidated financial statements to conform with U.S. GAAP. These adjustments were not recorded in the statutory books and records as Sony Corporation and its subsidiaries in Japan maintain their records and prepare their statutory financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in Japan, while its foreign subsidiaries maintain their records and prepare their financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the countries of their domicile. (1) Significant accounting policies Basis of consolidation and accounting for investments in affiliated companies - The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sony Corporation and its majority-owned subsidiary companies, general partnerships and other entities in which Sony has a controlling interest, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which Sony is the primary beneficiary. All intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated. Investments in business entities in which Sony does not have control, but has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies, generally through 20-50% 3-5% On occasion, a consolidated subsidiary or an affiliated company accounted for by the equity method may issue its shares to third parties in either a public or private offering or upon conversion of convertible debt to common stock at amounts per share in excess of or less than Sony’s average per share carrying value. With respect to such transactions, the resulting gains or losses arising from the change in ownership interest are recorded in earnings within the fiscal year in which the change in interest transactions occurs. Gains or losses that result from a loss of a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary are recorded in earnings along with fair value remeasurement gains or losses on any retained investment in the entity, while a change in interest in The excess of the cost over the underlying net equity of investments in consolidated subsidiaries and affiliated companies accounted for on an equity basis is allocated to identifiable tangible and intangible assets and liabilities based on fair values at the date of acquisition. The unassigned residual value of the excess of the cost over Sony’s underlying net equity is recognized as goodwill as a component of the investment balance. Use of estimates - The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates include those used in determining the valuation of investment securities, valuation of inventories, fair values of long-lived assets, fair values of goodwill and other intangible assets, fair values of assets and liabilities assumed in business combinations, product warranty liability, pension and severance plans, valuation of deferred tax assets, uncertain tax positions, film costs, and insurance related liabilities. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimates. The timing and extent to which the spread of COVID-19 may negatively impact Sony’s business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain. This uncertainty could result in greater variability in accounting estimates and assumptions, including, but not limited to, those used in reviewing goodwill and long-lived assets for impairment and the valuation of deferred tax assets. Translation of foreign currencies - All asset and liability accounts of foreign subsidiaries and affiliates are translated into Japanese yen at appropriate fiscal year end exchange rates and all income and expense accounts are translated at exchange rates that approximate those rates prevailing at the time of the transactions. The resulting translation adjustments are accumulated as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Upon remeasurement of a previously held equity interest in accordance with the accounting guidance for business combinations achieved in stages, accumulated translation adjustments, if any, are included in earnings. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at appropriate fiscal year end exchange rates and the resulting translation gains or losses are recognized into income. Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid investments, with original maturities of three months or less, that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and are so near maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Sony includes restricted cash within cash and cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. Marketable debt and equity securities Debt securities designated as available-for-sale unrealized held-to-maturity available-for-sale held-to-maturity Sony regularly evaluates its investment portfolio to identify other-than-temporary impairments of individual debt securities. Factors that are considered by Sony in determining whether an other-than-temporary decline in value has occurred include: the length of time and extent to which the market value of the security has been less than its original cost, the financial condition, operating results, business plans and estimated future cash flows of the issuer of the security, other specific factors affecting the market value, deterioration of the credit condition of the issuer, sovereign risk, and whether or not Sony is able to retain the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for the anticipated recovery in market value. In evaluating the factors for debt securities designated as available-for-sale, is temporary in nature due to the existence of other factors which overcome the duration or magnitude of the decline. On the other hand, there may be cases where impairment losses are recognized when the decline in the fair value of the security is not more than 20 percent or such decline has not existed for an extended period of time, as a result of considering specific factors which may indicate that the decline in the fair value is other-than-temporary. When an other-than-temporary impairment of a held-to-maturity Equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values - Equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values are measured at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. If the value of equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values is estimated to have declined and such decline is judged to be other-than-temporary, Sony recognizes the impairment of the investment and the carrying value is reduced to its fair value. Determination of impairment is based on the consideration of several factors, including operating results, business plans and estimated future cash flows. Fair value is determined through the use of various methodologies such as discounted cash flows, valuation of recent financings and comparable valuations of similar companies. Allowance for doubtful accounts - Sony maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to reserve for potentially uncollectible receivables. Sony reviews accounts receivable by amounts due from customers which are past due to identify specific customers with known disputes or collectability issues. In determining the amount of the reserve, Sony makes judgments about the creditworthiness of customers based on past collection experience and ongoing credit risk evaluations. Inventories - Inventories in the Game & Network Services (“G&NS”), Music, Electronics Products & Solutions (“EP&S”) and Imaging & Sensing Solutions (“I&SS”) segments as well as non-film Other receivables - Other receivables include receivables which relate to arrangements with certain component manufacturers whereby Sony procures goods, including product components, for these component manufacturers and is reimbursed for the related purchases. No revenue or profit is recognized on these transfers. Sony will repurchase the inventory at a later date from the component manufacturers as either finished goods inventory or as partially assembled product. Film costs - Film costs include direct production costs, production overhead and acquisition costs for both motion picture and television productions and are stated at the lower of unamortized cost or estimated fair value and classified as noncurrent assets. Film costs are amortized, and the estimated liabilities for residuals and participations are accrued using an individual-film-forecast method based on the ratio of current period actual revenues to the estimated remaining total revenues. Film costs also include broadcasting rights, which are recognized when the license period begins and the program is available for use, and consist of acquired programming to be aired on Sony’s worldwide channel network. Broadcasting rights are stated at the lower of unamortized cost or net realizable value, classified as either current or noncurrent assets based on timing of expected use. Broadcasting rights are amortized based on estimated usage or on a straight-line basis over the useful life, as appropriate, although broadcasting rights licensed under multi-year live-event sports programming agreements are generally amortized based on the ratio of the current period’s actual advertising revenue and an allocation of subscription fee revenue to the estimated total remaining attributable revenues. Estimates used in calculating the fair value of film costs and the net realizable value of broadcasting rights are based upon assumptions about future demand and market conditions and are reviewed on a periodic basis. Property, plant and equipment and depreciation - Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. Useful lives for depreciation range from 2 to 50 years for buildings and from 2 to 10 years for machinery and equipment. Significant renewals and additions are capitalized at cost. Maintenance and repairs, and minor renewals and betterments are charged to income as incurred. Leases - When entering into a contract, Sony determines whether an arrangement contains a lease at its inception. An arrangement contains a lease if it conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant, or equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use right-of-use Right-of-use non-lease . As of April 1, 2019, Sony adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, which amends leasing guidance, on a modified retrospective basis with no restatement of comparative periods. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on April 1, 2019, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases were not recognized in Sony’s consolidated balance sheet. For the detailed effect of the adoption of the new standard on Sony’s results of operations and financial position, refer to Note 2 (2) Recently adopted accounting pronouncements. Goodwill and other intangible assets - Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets are tested annually for impairment during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value below its carrying amount. Such an event or change in circumstances would include unfavorable variances from established business plans, significant changes in forecasted results or volatility inherent to external markets and industries, which are periodically reviewed by Sony’s management. In the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony elected not to perform an optional qualitative assessment of goodwill and instead proceeded directly to a quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. Reporting units are Sony’s operating segments or one level below the operating segments. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. Indefinite lived intangible assets are tested for impairment by comparing the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying value, and if the carrying value of the intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. The fair value of a reporting unit or indefinite lived intangible asset is generally determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. This approach uses significant estimates and assumptions, including projected future cash flows, the timing of such cash flows, discount rates reflecting the risk inherent in future cash flows, perpetual growth rates, earnings multiples, the determination of appropriate comparable entities and the determination of whether a premium or discount should be applied to comparables. Consideration is also given to Sony’s market capitalization in relation to the sum of the calculated fair values of the reporting units, including reporting units with no goodwill, and taking into account corporate level assets and liabilities not assigned to individual reporting units as well as a reasonable control premium. The assumptions used for projected future cash flows and the timing of such cash flows are based on the forecast and mid-range Management believes that the assumptions used to estimate the fair value in the goodwill impairment tests are reasonable, including, but not limited to, the potential impacts arising from the spread of COVID-19. As the extent and duration of the impacts from COVID-19 remain unclear, Sony’s estimates and assumptions may evolve as conditions change. Actual results could differ from those estimates. As a result, changes in estimates resulting in lower than currently anticipated cash flows and fair values due to unforeseen changes in assumptions could negatively affect the valuations, which may result in Sony recognizing impairment charges for goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets in the future. When a business within a reporting unit is disposed of, goodwill is allocated to the disposed business using the relative fair value method. Intangible assets with finite useful lives mainly consist of patent rights, know-how, internal-use know-how, internal-use Capitalized software - The costs related to establishing the technological feasibility of software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed are expensed as incurred as a part of research and development in cost of sales. Costs that are incurred to produce the finished product after technological feasibility is established are capitalized and amortized to cost of sales over the estimated economic life, which is generally three years. The technological feasibility of game software is established when the product master is completed. Consideration to capitalize game software development costs before this point is limited to the development costs of games for which technological feasibility can be proven at an earlier stage. At each balance sheet date, Sony performs reviews to ensure that unamortized capitalized software costs remain recoverable from future profits of the related software products. The costs incurred for internal-use Deferred insurance acquisition costs - Costs that vary with and are directly related to the acquisition or renewal of insurance policies are deferred as long as they are recoverable. The deferred insurance acquisition costs include such items as commissions, medical examination costs and inspection report fees, and are subject to recoverability testing at least annually to ensure that the capitalized amounts do not exceed the present value of anticipated gross profits or premiums less benefits and maintenance expenses, as applicable. The deferred insurance acquisition costs for traditional life insurance contracts are amortized over the premium-paying period of the related insurance policies using assumptions consistent with those used in computing policy reserves. The deferred insurance acquisition costs for non-traditional Product warranty - Sony provides for the estimated cost of product warranties at the time revenue is recognized. The product warranty is calculated based upon product sales, estimated probability of failure and estimated cost per claim. The variables used in the calculation of the provision are reviewed on a periodic basis. Future insurance policy benefits - Liabilities for future insurance policy benefits are primarily comprised of the present value of estimated future payments to policyholders. These liabilities are computed by the net level premium method based upon the assumptions as to future investment yield, morbidity, mortality, withdrawals and other factors. These assumptions are reviewed on a periodic basis. Liabilities for future policy benefits includes the liabilities for the minimum guarantee benefits of variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts. As discussed below in “Fair value measurement,” Sony elected the fair value option for certain of these liabilities for future insurance policy benefits. Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business - Liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business represent the contract value that has accrued to the benefit of the policyholders as of the balance sheet date. This liability is generally equal to the accumulated account deposits, plus interest credited, less policyholder withdrawals and other charges assessed against the account balances. Liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business includes the liabilities related to the variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts with minimum guarantee benefits. As discussed below in “Fair value measurement,” Sony elected the fair value option for certain of these liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business. Impairment of long-lived assets - Sony reviews the recoverability of the carrying value of its long-lived assets held and used, other than goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives, and assets to be disposed of, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the individual carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. Long-lived assets to be held and used are reviewed for impairment by comparing the carrying value of the asset or asset group with their estimated undiscounted future cash flows. If the cash flows are determined to be less than the carrying value of the asset or asset group, an impairment loss would be recognized during the period for the amount by which the carrying value of the asset or asset group exceeds estimated fair value. Long-lived assets that are to be disposed of other than by sale are considered held and used until they are disposed of. Long-lived assets that are to be disposed of by sale are reported at the lower of their carrying value or fair value less cost to sell and are not depreciated. Fair value is determined using the present value of estimated net cash flows or comparable market values. This approach uses significant estimates and assumptions including projected future cash flows, the timing of such cash flows, discount rates reflecting the risk inherent in future cash flows, perpetual growth rates applied to determine terminal values, determination of appropriate market comparables and the determination of whether a premium or discount should be applied to comparables. Management believes that the estimates of future cash flows and fair values are reasonable, including, but not limited to, the potential impacts arising from the spread of COVID-19. As the extent and duration of the impacts from COVID-19 remain unclear, Sony’s estimates and assumptions may evolve as conditions change. Actual results could differ from those estimates. As a result, changes in estimates resulting in lower future cash flows and fair values due to unforeseen changes in Sony’s businesses or assumptions could negatively affect the valuations of long-lived assets. Fair value measurement - Sony measures fair value as an exit price, or the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants as of the measurement date. Sony has elected the fair value option in the banking business for certain foreign securities. The election was made to mitigate accounting mismatches related to fluctuations of foreign exchange rates by allowing the gains and losses on the translation of these securities to be included in current earnings. Sony has also elected the fair value option for certain future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business which are not normally measured at fair value. The election was made to mitigate accounting mismatches related to the changes in the fair value between liabilities for those future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account due to changes in the minimum guarantee risk of contracts of variable annuities with minimum guarantee benefits, and the underlying investment managed for policyholders and derivatives. Changes in fair value resulting from changes in instrument-specific credit risk were estimated by incorporating the certain subsidiary’s current credit spreads, and are recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax. The accounting guidance for fair value measurements specifies a hierarchy of inputs to valuation techniques based on the extent to which inputs used in measuring fair value are observable in the market. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect Sony’s assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Observable market data is used if such data is available without undue cost and effort. Each fair value measurement is reported in one of three levels which is determined by the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. These levels are: Level 1 — Inputs are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets. Level 2 — Inputs are based on observable inputs other than level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active and model-derived valuations, in which all significant inputs are observable in active markets. Level 3 — One or more significant inputs are unobservable. When available, Sony uses unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets to measure fair value and classifies such items within level 1. If quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed valuation techniques that use, where possible, current market-based or independently sourced market parameters, such as interest rates, currency rates and option volatilities. Items valued using internally generated models are classified according to the lowest level input that is significant to the valuation. For certain financial assets and liabilities, Sony determines fair value using third-party information such as indicative quotes from dealers and quantitative input from investment advisors following Sony’s established valuation procedures including validation against internally developed prices. Additionally, Sony considers both counterparty credit risk and Sony’s own creditworthiness in determining fair value. Sony attempts to mitigate credit risk to third parties by entering into netting agreements and actively monitoring the creditworthiness of counterparties and its exposure to credit risk through the use of credit limits and by selecting major international banks and financial institutions as counterparties. Transfers between levels are deemed to have occurred at the beginning of the interim period in which the transfers occur. Derivative financial instruments - All derivatives are recognized as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value on a gross basis. Changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments are either recognized periodically in income or stockholders’ equity (as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income), depending on whether the derivative financial instrument qualifies as a hedge and the derivative is being used to hedge changes in fair value or cash flows. The accounting guidance for hybrid financial instruments permits an entity to elect fair value remeasurement for any hybrid financial instrument if the hybrid instrument contains an embedded derivative that would otherwise be required to be bifurcated and accounted for separately under accounting guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities. The election to measure the hybrid instrument at fair value is made on an instrument-by-instrument In accordance with accounting guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities, various derivative financial instruments held by Sony are classified and accounted for as described below. Fair value hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as fair value hedges for recognized assets or liabilities or unrecognized firm commitments are recognized in earnings as offsets to changes in the fair value of the related hedged assets or liabilities. Cash flow hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges for forecasted transactions or exposures associated with recognized assets or liabilities are initially recorded in other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings. The time value component of the fair value of option contracts is excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness and recognized in earnings on a straight-line basis over the life of the hedging instruments. Any difference between the change in fair value of the excluded component and the Derivatives not designated as hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are not designated as hedges are recognized immediately in earnings. Assessment of hedges When applying hedge accounting, Sony formally documents all hedging relationships between the derivatives designated as hedges and the hedged items, as well as its risk management objectives and strategies for undertaking various hedging activities. Sony links all hedges that are designated as fair value or cash flow hedges to specific assets or liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets or to the specific forecasted transactions. Sony also assesses, both at the inception of the hedge and on an on-going Stock-based compensation - Sony accounts for stock-based compensation using the fair value - Revenue recognition - Sony recognizes revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration Sony expects in exchange for satisfying performance obligations to transfer the goods or services promised in contracts with customers. This is in accordance with the following steps: Step 1: Identify the contract(s) with a customer. Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract. Step 3: Determine the transaction price. Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract. Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) Sony satisfies a performance obligation. Sony owns a variety of intellectual property throughout segments and recognizes revenue through the licensing of such intellectual property. Sony has both functional and symbolic intellectual property. The licensing of functional intellectual property grants a customer a right to use Sony’s intellectual property as it exists at a point in time, and Sony satisfies its performance obligation at the point in time when the customer obtains control and is entitled to benefit from the license. The licensing of symbolic intellectual property grants a customer a right to access Sony’s intellectual property over time, and Sony satisfies its performance obligation over the license period as Sony maintains the intellectual property. Incremental costs of obtaining a contract and costs to fulfill a contract are recognized as assets when Sony expects to recover these costs. The incremental costs of obtaining a contract are those costs that would not have been incurred if the contract had not been obtained. Costs to fulfill a contract are those costs that are directly related to a contract or to an anticipated contract and that generate or enhance resources for Sony to satisfy its performance obligations. Sony applies a practical expedient and recognizes the incremental costs of obtaining a contract as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the asset that would have been recognized is one year or less. Performance obligations in contracts for the EP&S and I&SS segments are primarily to deliver various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments and devices to customers. Revenues from these performance obligations are generally recognized when a promised good is delivered to a customer. However, if the sales contract contains a customer acceptance provision, then revenues are recognized when the customer accepts the promised good or when a deemed acceptance occurs by the lapse of time. Revenues are also recognized over time, primarily from the provision of internet broadband network services to subscribers over the subscription period. Revenues are recognized net of anticipated returns and sales incentives. Within the G&NS segment, revenues from hardware, peripherals and software discs are recognized when performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control to the retailer/distributor, net of anticipated returns, sales incentives and cooperative advertising obligations. Revenues from platform licensing to publishers are recognized when physical software discs are delivered. Revenues from digital game content, which is licensed functional intellectual property, are recognized when the digital content is made available for use by the licensee via an online platform, net of anticipated sales incentives and credit card chargebacks. Revenues from digital game content involving multiple performance obligations, such as obligations to make content available on future dates, are allocated to each performance obligation based on the relative standalone selling prices that are observable in the market or Sony’s best estimate. Revenues from subscription fees for digital subscription services are recognized over the subscription period. Within the Music segment, Sony licenses intellectual property that transfer to a customer either a right to use Sony’s intellectual property as it exists at the point in time in which the license is granted, or a right to access Sony’s intellectual property as it exists throughout the license period. Revenues are recognized when the customer has the right to use or access the intellectual property and obtains control of the use or access of that license. Digital revenues include revenues from contracts with digital streaming services typically recognized as a single performance obligation, which is ongoing access to intellectual property in an evolving library of content over the contract term, predicated on: (1) the business practice and contractual ability to remove specific content without a requirement to replace the content and without impact to minimum royalty guarantees and (2) the contracts not containing a specific listing of content subject to the license. For these contracts, revenues are recognized on the basis of sales and usage royalties, except where there is an amount of a minimum royalty guarantee that is not expected to be recouped, or a fixed fee, which is recognized on a straight-line basis over

Inventories

Inventories	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventories	3. Inventories Inventories are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Finished products 407,295 345,231 Work in process 154,178 149,969 Raw materials, purchased components and supplies 91,805 94,769 Inventories 653,278 589,969

Film costs

Film costs	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Other Industries [Abstract]
Film costs	4. Film costs Film costs are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Motion picture productions: Released 87,158 99,482 Completed and not released 3,189 18,776 In production and development 130,736 67,199 Television productions: Released 144,316 186,344 In production and development 9,147 25,093 Broadcasting rights 70,401 61,959 Less: current portion included in inventories (35,942 ) (31,517 ) Film costs 409,005 427,336 Sony estimates that approximately 92% of the unamortized film costs of released motion picture and television productions at March 31, 2020 will be amortized within the next three years. Approximately 217 billion yen of completed film costs are expected to be amortized during the next twelve months. Approximately 163 billion yen of accrued participation liabilities included in accounts payable, other and accrued expenses are expected to be paid during the next twelve months.

Investments in affiliated compa

Investments in affiliated companies	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Investments in affiliated companies	5. Investments in affiliated companies The summarized combined financial information that is based on information provided by the equity investees including information for significant equity affiliates and the reconciliation of such information to the consolidated financial statements is shown below: Balance Sheets Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Current assets 355,320 389,195 Noncurrent assets 608,626 164,852 Current liabilities 188,905 194,219 Noncurrent liabilities and noncontrolling interests 584,714 60,469 Percentage of ownership in equity investees 20%-50 % 20%-50 % Statements of Income Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Net revenues 468,933 390,457 387,678 Operating income 56,729 53,920 58,431 Net income attributable to controlling interests 27,301 5,539 34,916 Percentage of ownership in equity investees 20%-50 % 20%-50 % 20%-50 % On November 14, 2018, Sony Corporation of America, Sony’s wholly-owned subsidiary, completed the acquisition of the entirety of the approximately 60% equity interest held by the investor consortium led by the Mubadala Investment Company in DH Publishing, L.P. (“EMI”), which owned and managed EMI Music Publishing. As a result of this acquisition, EMI became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony as described in Note 25. The carrying value of Sony’s investment in M3, Inc. (“M3”) web-portal. With the exception of M3 as described above, there was no significant difference between Sony’s proportionate share in the underlying net assets of the investees and the carrying value of investments in affiliated companies at March 31, 2019 and 2020. On December 19, 2019, SRE Holdings Corporation (“SRE”), Sony’s consolidated subsidiary, became a publicly listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers market (the “Listing”). Upon the Listing, Sony sold a portion of its shares of SRE, and shares issued by SRE were publicly offered (collectively, the “Sale”). Sony’s ownership of SRE’s total shares, which was 56.3% before the Sale, has decreased to 44.5% after the Sale. As a result, SRE has become an affiliate accounted for under the equity method of Sony. In connection with the Sale, Sony recorded a gain of 17,266 million yen, which consisted of both a remeasurement gain based on fair value for the shares Sony continues to hold after the Sale, and a realized gain for the sold shares, in other operating (income) loss, net in the consolidated statements of income for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. On January 29, 2020, Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd.(“Sony Life”), Sony’s consolidated subsidiary, completed the acquisition of the entirety of 50% equity interest held by AEGON International B.V. in AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. (collectively, the “JVs”). As a result of this acquisition, the JVs became consolidated subsidiaries of Sony as described in Note 25. AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. has changed its name to “Sony Life With Insurance Co., Ltd.,” as of Several affiliated companies are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Sony’s investments in these companies have an aggregate carrying value and fair value of 141,508 million yen and 756,073 million yen, respectively, as of March 31, 2020. The number of affiliated companies accounted for under the equity method as of March 31, 2019 and 2020 were 133 and 140, respectively. Account balances and transactions with affiliated companies accounted for under the equity method are presented below. There are no other material transactions or account balances with any other related parties. Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Accounts receivable, trade 12,404 12,030 Other receivables 134 1,589 Other current assets 33 9,757 Accounts payable, trade 1,087 1,497 Short-term borrowings 29,744 31,557 Finance lease liabilities and other* 20,265 34,564 Operating lease liabilities — 2,393 * Finance lease liabilities and other were represented as Capital lease obligations as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales 45,415 41,437 35,951 Purchases 3,180 5,584 3,479 Sony entered into sale and leaseback transactions regarding certain machinery and equipment with SFI Leasing Company, Limited (“SFIL”), a leasing company in Japan, in the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018 MITSUI-SOKO Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. is accounted for under the equity method and is 34% owned by Sony as a result of the sale of the logistics business on April 1, 2015. As of the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, account balances with MITSUI-SOKO Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. and its subsidiaries were 3,435 million yen and 1,181 million yen, respectively, which are mainly included in accrued expenses. For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, transactions were 10,606 million yen and 6,069 million yen, respectively, which are mainly included in general and administrative expenses. Dividends from affiliated companies accounted for under the equity method for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 5,613 million yen, 4,948 million yen and 4,523 million yen, respectively.

Transfer of financial assets

Transfer of financial assets	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Transfers and Servicing [Abstract]
Transfer of financial assets	6. Transfer of financial assets Sony has established several accounts receivable sales programs mainly within the EP&S segment. Through these programs, Sony can sell receivables to a commercial bank or a special purpose entity associated with a sponsor bank. Total receivables sold during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 84,718 million yen, 81,947 million yen and 65,214 million yen, respectively. These transactions are accounted for as sales in accordance with the accounting guidance for transfers of financial assets, because Sony has relinquished control of the receivables. Sony includes the sales proceeds from these receivables as cash flows within operating activities in the consolidated statement of cash flows because the receivables are the result of operating activities and are short term in nature. Gains and losses from these transactions were insignificant. Although Sony continues servicing the receivables subsequent to being sold or contributed, no servicing assets or liabilities are recorded as the costs of collection of the sold receivables and the income from servicing such receivables are insignificant. Certain accounts receivable sales programs above also involve VIEs. Refer to Note 24.

Marketable securities and secur

Marketable securities and securities investments	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Marketable securities and securities investments	7. Marketable securities and securities investments Marketable securities and securities investments, primarily held in the Financial Services segment, include debt securities for which the aggregate cost, gross unrealized gains and losses and fair value pertaining to available-for-sale held-to-maturity s Yen in millions March 31, 2019 March 31, 2020 Cost Gross Gross Fair value Cost Gross Gross Fair value Debt securities: Available-for-sale securities: Japanese national government bonds 1,422,620 220,989 (20 ) 1,643,589 1,552,036 210,459 (566 ) 1,761,929 Japanese local government bonds 67,461 70 (34 ) 67,497 69,132 73 (33 ) 69,172 Japanese corporate bonds 202,433 17,178 (223 ) 219,388 202,164 19,112 (567 ) 220,709 Foreign government bonds 153,429 8,669 (603 ) 161,495 198,777 81,014 (14 ) 279,777 Foreign corporate bonds 360,299 944 (376 ) 360,867 361,422 507 (2,179 ) 359,750 Securitized products 190,111 1 — 190,112 205,223 0 — 205,223 Other 2,286 2,402 — 4,688 14,398 1,867 (12 ) 16,253 2,398,639 250,253 (1,256 ) 2,647,636 2,603,152 313,032 (3,371 ) 2,912,813 Held-to-maturity Japanese national government bonds 6,042,635 2,016,786 — 8,059,421 6,204,505 2,098,885 (1,397 ) 8,301,993 Japanese local government bonds 3,518 388 — 3,906 2,504 331 — 2,835 Japanese corporate bonds 409,329 44,348 (5,845 ) 447,832 482,050 61,176 (4,754 ) 538,472 Foreign government bonds 386,392 18,609 (13,742 ) 391,259 723,937 302,297 — 1,026,234 Foreign corporate bonds 198 11 — 209 98 7 — 105 Securitized products — — — — 5,418 — (421 ) 4,997 6,842,072 2,080,142 (19,587 ) 8,902,627 7,418,512 2,462,696 (6,572 ) 9,874,636 Total 9,240,711 2,330,395 (20,843 ) 11,550,263 10,021,664 2,775,728 (9,943 ) 12,787,449 The following table presents the cost and fair value of debt securities classified as available-for-sale held-to-maturity Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Available-for-sale Held-to-maturity Cost Fair value Cost Fair value Due in one year or less 145,867 146,084 6,075 6,109 Due after one year through five years 432,281 435,443 199,509 217,983 Due after five years through ten years 561,098 637,363 246,072 283,086 Due after ten years 1,463,906 1,693,923 6,966,856 9,367,458 Total 2,603,152 2,912,813 7,418,512 9,874,636 Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale 2016-01 available-for-sale s Marketable securities classified as trading securities, which are held primarily in the Financial Services segment, totaled 234,117 million yen and 270,120 million yen as of March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Sony recorded net unrealized gains of 48,047 million yen, net unrealized gains of 3,610 million yen, and net unrealized gains of 1,705 million yen for the fiscal years ended March 31 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Changes in the fair value of trading securities are primarily recognized in financial services revenue in the consolidated statements of income. Sony adopted ASU 2016-01 from April 1, 2018, and as a result, the trading classification is eliminated for equity securities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020. The following tables present the gross unrealized losses on, and fair value of, Sony’s investment securities with unrealized losses, aggregated by investment category and the length of time that individual investment securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position, at March 31, 2019 and 2020. Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Less than 12 months 12 months or more Total Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Debt securities: Available-for-sale securities: Japanese national government bonds — — 4,063 (20 ) 4,063 (20 ) Japanese local government bonds 27,404 (29 ) 4,872 (5 ) 32,276 (34 ) Japanese corporate bonds 25,725 (21 ) 19,925 (202 ) 45,650 (223 ) Foreign government bonds — — 15,878 (603 ) 15,878 (603 ) Foreign corporate bonds 50,281 (117 ) 15,455 (259 ) 65,736 (376 ) Securitized products — — — — — — Other — — — — — — 103,410 (167 ) 60,193 (1,089 ) 163,603 (1,256 ) Held-to-maturity Japanese national government bonds — — — — — — Japanese local government bonds — — — — — — Japanese corporate bonds — — 97,984 (5,845 ) 97,984 (5,845 ) Foreign government bonds — — 151,229 (13,742 ) 151,229 (13,742 ) Foreign corporate bonds — — — — — — — — 249,213 (19,587 ) 249,213 (19,587 ) Total 103,410 (167 ) 309,406 (20,676 ) 412,816 (20,843 ) Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Less than 12 months 12 months or more Total Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Debt securities: Available-for-sale securities: Japanese national government bonds 51,746 (539 ) 2,032 (27 ) 53,778 (566 ) Japanese local government bonds 25,010 (10 ) 16,340 (23 ) 41,350 (33 ) Japanese corporate bonds 62,118 (548 ) 10,694 (19 ) 72,812 (567 ) Foreign government bonds — — 1,537 (14 ) 1,537 (14 ) Foreign corporate bonds 86,220 (2,133 ) 18,896 (46 ) 105,116 (2,179 ) Securitized products — — — — — — Other 12,055 (12 ) — — 12,055 (12 ) 237,149 (3,242 ) 49,499 (129 ) 286,648 (3,371 ) Held-to-maturity Japanese national government bonds 134,320 (1,397 ) — — 134,320 (1,397 ) Japanese local government bonds — — — — — — Japanese corporate bonds 98,172 (4,285 ) 3,727 (469 ) 101,899 (4,754 ) Foreign government bonds — — — — — — Foreign corporate bonds — — — — — — Securitized products 5,418 (421 ) — — 5,418 (421 ) 237,910 (6,103 ) 3,727 (469 ) 241,637 (6,572 ) Total 475,059 (9,345 ) 53,226 (598 ) 528,285 (9,943 ) At March 31, 2020, Sony determined that the decline in value for securities with unrealized losses shown in the above table is not other-than-temporary in nature. For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, with respect to equity securities included in marketable securities and securities investments, Sony recorded net realized gains of 77,495 million yen and 20,176 million yen due to the sale of equity securities and net unrealized gains of 104,168 million yen and net unrealized loss of 134,831 million yen due to revaluation of equity securities held as of March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Gains or losses arising from equity securities held in the Financial Services segment are recorded in financial services revenue, and gains or losses arising from equity securities held in all segments other than the Financial Services segment are recorded in gain (loss) gains and (losses) noted above were gains and (losses) recorded by Sony with respect to the equity securities held by Sony in Spotify Technology S.A. (“Spotify”). On April 3, 2018, Spotify was publicly listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Sony owned 5.707% of Spotify’s shares at the time of the public listing. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, Sony sold a portion of the Spotify shares that it owned for aggregate consideration of 82,616 million yen (768 million U.S. dollars) in cash proceeds. The sale of such shares, offset by costs to be paid to Sony’s artists and distributed labels and other transaction costs which directly related to the gains recognized from the sale of Spotify shares, resulted in a net pre-tax The remaining Spotify shares retained as of March 31, 2019 had a gross fair value of 78,947 million yen (711 million U.S. dollars), and the revaluation of such shares resulted in a pre-tax During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony did not sell any portion of the Spotify shares that it owned. The pre-tax a decrease in The aggregate carrying amounts of securities that do not have readily determinable fair values for securities that do not have readily determinable fair values for , and for securities that do not have readily determinable fair values for s

Leases

Leases	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Leases [Abstract]
Leases	8. Leases Sony leases certain communication and commercial equipment, plant, office space, warehouses, employees’ residential facilities and other assets under both finance and operating leases. (1) Lease cost The components of lease cost are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended 2020 Finance Lease cost Amortization of right-of-use 10,077 Interest on lease liabilities 1,266 Total finance lease cost 11,343 Operating lease cost 76,863 Short-term lease cost 20,620 Variable lease cost 141 Sublease income (3,860 ) Total lease cost 105,107 (2) Supplemental consolidated Supplemental consolidated balance sheet information related to leases is as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2020 Finance leases Current portion of long-term debt 9,240 Long-term debt 29,843 Total finance lease liabilities 39,083 Weighted average remaining lease term Operating leases 9.91 years Finance leases 8.61 years Weighted average discount rate Operating leases 3.147 % Finance leases 2.338 % (3) Rental payments and sublease rentals under operating leases The minimum rental payments required under operating leases that have initial or remaining lease terms in excess of one year at March , are as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2020 58,901 2021 48,823 2022 34,726 2023 25,355 2024 22,152 Later fiscal years 78,507 Total minimum future rentals 268,464 Rental expenses under operating leases for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018 and 2019 were 77,950 million yen and 71,516 million yen, respectively. Sublease rentals received under operating leases for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018 and 2019 were 1,325 million yen and 1,013 million yen, respectively. The total minimum rentals to be received in the future under noncancelable subleases for operating leases as of March 31, 2019 were 1,598 million yen. (4) Maturities of lease liabilities Maturities of lease liabilities as of March 31, 2020 Yen in millions Fiscal year ending March 31 Operating leases Finance leases 2021 76,469 10,213 2022 69,606 7,323 2023 55,648 5,990 2024 40,303 4,689 2025 30,664 3,163 Later fiscal years 152,275 23,088 Total lease payments 424,965 54,466 Less imputed interest 41,187 15,383 Total 383,778 39,083 (5) Other information Other information related to leases is as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended 2020 Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities Payments for operating leases, included in cash flows from operating activities 71,612 Payments for finance leases, included in cash flows from financing activities 33,088 Right-of-use 124,380

Goodwill and other intangible a

Goodwill and other intangible assets	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and other intangible assets	9. Goodwill and other intangible assets Intangible assets other than goodwill acquired during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 totaled 146,023 million yen, of which 145,596 million yen is subject to amortization, and are comprised of the following: Intangible assets acquired during the fiscal year Weighted-average Yen in millions Years Patent rights, know-how 7,848 8 Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed 16,609 3 Internal-use 93,768 4 Music catalogs 19,837 14 Other 7,534 11 In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, additions to internal-use Intangible assets subject to amortization are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31, 2019 March 31, 2020 Gross carrying Accumulated Gross carrying Accumulated Patent rights, know-how 169,761 (145,525 ) 166,076 (146,051 ) Customer relationships 15,759 (11,825 ) 16,104 (12,467 ) Trademarks 15,768 (9,863 ) 11,152 (6,114 ) Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed 125,350 (96,322 ) 141,111 (110,663 ) Internal-use 529,022 (345,935 ) 594,109 (384,236 ) Music catalogs 615,206 (106,725 ) 612,266 (124,787 ) Artist contracts 42,575 (29,108 ) 41,764 (29,017 ) Television carriage contracts (broadcasting agreements) 74,605 (28,685 ) 53,266 (21,645 ) Other 61,675 (49,288 ) 64,456 (51,317 ) Total 1,649,721 (823,276 ) 1,700,304 (886,297 ) The aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 123,450 million yen, 109,452 million yen and 110,819 million yen, respectively. The estimated aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets for the next five fiscal years is as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2021 97,978 2022 82,057 2023 66,079 2024 50,098 2025 38,658 Total carrying amount of intangible assets having an indefinite life is Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Trademarks 69,447 69,975 Distribution agreements 18,834 18,834 Other 3,240 3,494 Total 91,521 92,303 The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by segment for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: G&NS Music Pictures EP&S I&SS Financial All Total Balance, March 31, 2018: Goodwill — gross 150,606 165,700 246,620 194,468 45,793 7,931 27,912 839,030 Accumulated impairments — (306 ) (102,208 ) (181,665 ) — (706 ) (23,653 ) (308,538 ) Goodwill 150,606 165,394 144,412 12,803 45,793 7,225 4,259 530,492 Increase (decrease) due to: Acquisitions * 2,261 240,396 387 — — — — 243,044 Sales and dispositions — — — — — — — — Impairments — — — (776 ) — — (4,331 ) (5,107 ) Translation adjustments 1,088 (2,420 ) 3,673 (73 ) 771 — 72 3,111 Other — — (2,988 ) — — — — (2,988 ) Balance, March 31, 2019: Goodwill — gross 153,955 403,676 252,262 194,416 46,564 7,931 28,570 1,087,374 Accumulated impairments — (306 ) (106,778 ) (182,462 ) — (706 ) (28,570 ) (318,822 ) Goodwill 153,955 403,370 145,484 11,954 46,564 7,225 — 768,552 Increase (decrease) due to: Acquisitions * 17,945 2,956 14,889 364 — 3,609 — 39,763 Sales and dispositions — — (609 ) — — — — (609 ) Impairments — — — — — — — — Translation adjustments (926 ) (13,802 ) (5,410 ) (129 ) (372 ) — — (20,639 ) Other — (1,199 ) (1,980 ) — — — — (3,179 ) Balance, March 31, 2020: Goodwill — gross 170,974 391,631 257,074 194,635 46,192 11,540 28,269 1,100,315 Accumulated impairments — (306 ) (104,700 ) (182,446 ) — (706 ) (28,269 ) (316,427 ) Goodwill 170,974 391,325 152,374 12,189 46,192 10,834 — 783,888 Sony realigned its business segments from the first quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. As a result of this realignment, the former HE&S, IP&S and MC segments have been realigned as the EP&S segment. In connection with this realignment, the carrying amounts of associated goodwill for the former HE&S, IP&S and MC segments have been reclassified to the EP&S segment for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018 and 2019. Refer to Note 29. * Acquisitions for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 relate mainly to the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in the Music segment. Acquisitions for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 relate mainly to the acquisition of Insomniac Games, Inc. in the G&NS segment, Silvergate Media in the Pictures segment and AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. in the Financial Services segment. Refer to Note 25.

Insurance-related accounts

Insurance-related accounts	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Insurance [Abstract]
Insurance-related accounts	10. Insurance-related accounts Sony’s Financial Services segment subsidiaries in Japan maintain their accounting records as described in Note 2 in accordance with the accounting principles and practices generally accepted in Japan, which vary in some respects from U.S. GAAP. Those differences are mainly that insurance acquisition costs for life and non-life generally over the premium-paying period of the related insurance policies, and that future policy benefits for life insurance contracts calculated locally under the authorization of the supervisory administrative agencies are comprehensively adjusted using mainly the net level premium method with certain adjustments of actuarial assumptions for U.S. GAAP purposes. For the purpose of preparing the consolidated financial statements, appropriate adjustments have been made to reflect the accounting for these items in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The combined amounts of statutory net equity of the insurance subsidiaries, which is not measured in accordance with U.S. GAAP, as of March 31, 2019 and 2020 were 548,730 million yen and 586,983 million yen, respectively. (1) Insurance policies Life insurance policies that subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment underwrite, most of which are categorized as long-duration contracts, mainly consist of whole life, term life and accident and health insurance contracts. The life insurance revenues for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 857,766 million yen, 910,011 million yen and 1,052,316 million yen, respectively. Property and casualty insurance policies that a subsidiary in the Financial Services segment underwrites are primarily automotive insurance contracts, which are categorized as short-duration contracts. The non-life (2) Deferred insurance acquisition costs Amortization of deferred insurance acquisition costs charged to income for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 amounted to 68,137 million yen, 79,906 million yen and 93,734 million yen, respectively. At March 31, 2019 and 2020, the balances of deferred insurance acquisition costs of non-traditional life insurance contracts were 209,897 million yen and 206,363 million yen, respectively. (3) Future insurance policy benefits Liabilities for future insurance locked-in Liabilities for future policy benefits includes the liabilities for the minimum guarantee benefits of variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts. The details regarding the minimum guarantee benefits are presented in (5) below. Sony elected the fair value option for certain of these liabilities for future insurance policy benefits. Refer to Note 13. At March 31, 2019 and 2020, future insurance policy benefits amounted to 5,633,865 million yen and 6,237,048 million yen, respectively. (4) Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business represents an accumulation of account deposits plus credited interest less withdrawals, expenses and mortality charges. Policyholders’ account includes universal life insurance and investment contracts. Universal life insurance includes interest sensitive whole life contracts and variable life insurance contracts. The credited rates associated with interest sensitive whole life contracts range from 1.7% to 2.0%. For variable life insurance contracts, policy values are expressed in terms of investment units. Each unit is linked to an asset portfolio. The value of a unit increases or decreases based on the value of the linked asset portfolio. Investment contracts mainly include single payment endowment contracts, single payment educational endowment contracts, individual variable annuities and policies after the start of annuity payments. The credited rates associated with investment contracts, except for individual variable annuities, range from 0.01% to 6.3%. For individual variable annuities, policy values are expressed in terms of investment units. Each unit is linked to an asset portfolio. The value of a unit increases or decreases based on the value of the linked asset portfolio. The liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business includes the liabilities related to the variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts with minimum guarantee benefits. Sony elected the fair value option for certain of these liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business. Refer to Note 13. Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business is comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Universal life insurance 2,104,646 2,611,577 Investment contracts 816,903 885,690 Other 126,653 145,004 Total 3,048,202 3,642,271 (5) Minimum guarantee benefit for variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts Regarding variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts, minimum guarantee benefits (minimum death benefit, minimum accumulation benefit, etc.) are provided, and Sony bears the risk of fulfilling the minimum guarantee benefits prescribed in the contracts to policyholders. The fair value option is applied to the portion of the liability for variable annuity contracts with minimum guarantee benefits. Refer to Note 13. Excluding the portion of the liability measured at fair value, the liability for the minimum guarantee benefit is calculated based on the ratio of the present value of expected total excess payments divided by the present value of expected total assessments over the life of the contract. Mortality rates, lapse rates, discount rates and investment yield are used as significant assumptions for this calculation. Yen in million s March 31, 2019 Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Total Policyholder s — 1,092,559 1,092,559 Net amount at risk — 4,334,224 4,334,224 Liability for minimum guarantee benefit — 63,423 63,423 Age March 31 2019 Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Average attained age — 44 Yen in million s March 31 , Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Total Policyholder s 464,093 1,096,935 1,561,028 Net amount at risk 71,685 4,564,214 4,635,899 Liability for minimum guarantee benefit 64,045 79,860 143,905 Age March 31 2020 Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Average attained age 60 45

Short-term borrowings and long-

Short-term borrowings and long-term debt	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Short-term borrowings and long-term debt	11. Short-term borrowings and long-term debt Short-term borrowings are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Unsecured loans: with a weighted-average interest rate of 2.52% 55,186 with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.86% 91,725 Repurchase agreement: with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.56% 432,820 with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.93% 567,194 Secured call money: with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.18% 130,612 with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.13% 151,257 618,618 810,176 At March 31, 2020, certain subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment pledged marketable securities and securities investments with a book value of 474,644 million yen as collateral for 567,194 million yen of short-term repurchase agreements. The repurchase agreement provides for net settlement upon a termination event. At March 31, 2020, certain subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment pledged marketable securities and securities investments with a book value of 42,576 million yen as collateral for 151,257 million yen of secured call money. In addition, certain subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment pledged marketable securities and securities investments with an aggregate book value of 12,445 million yen as collateral for cash settlements, variation margins of futures markets and certain other purposes. Long-term debt is comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Unsecured loans, representing obligations principally to banks: Due 2019 to 2024, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 7.89 % per annum 57,321 Due 2020 to 2029, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 5.10 % per annum 17,880 Unsecured 0.05% bonds, due 2019 69,964 Unsecured 2.07% bonds, due 2019 50,000 Unsecured 0.23% bonds, due 2021 89,819 89,894 Unsecured 0.11% bonds, due 2022 10,000 10,000 Unsecured 1.41% bonds, due 2022 10,000 10,000 Unsecured 0.28% bonds, due 2023 15,000 15,000 Unsecured 0.13% bonds, due 2024 29,886 Unsecured 0.22% bonds, due 2025 10,000 10,000 Unsecured 0.42% bonds, due 2026 24,911 24,923 Unsecured 0.18% bonds, due 2026 10,000 Unsecured 0.30% bonds, due 2029 59,738 Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022: Conversion price 5,008.0 yen per common share 119,961 Conversion price 4,996.0 yen per common share 119,531 Secured 0.00% loans, due 2020 to 2023 200,003 201,205 Finance lease liabilities and other*: Due 2019 to 2048, with interest rates ranging from 0.36% to 9.14% per annum 72,991 Due 2020 to 2050, with interest rates ranging from 0.01% to 12.59% per annum 56,350 Guarantee deposits received 10,863 10,366 740,833 664,773 Less — Portion due within one year 172,461 29,807 568,372 634,966 * Finance lease liabilities and other were represented as Capital lease obligations and other as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. At March 31, 2020, certain subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment pledged marketable securities and securities investments with a book value of 52,942 million yen and housing loans with a book value of 378,241 million yen as collateral for a 200,000 million yen long-term secured loan. On July 21, 2015, Sony issued 120,000 million yen of 130% callable unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds with stock acquisition rights due 2022 (the “Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds”). The bondholders are entitled to stock acquisition rights effective from September 1, 2015 to September 28, 2022. The initial conversion price was 5,008.0 yen per common share. In addition to the standard anti-dilution provisions, the conversion price is reduced for a certain period before an early redemption triggered upon the occurrence of certain corporate events including a merger, corporate split and delisting event. The reduced amount of the conversion price will be determined by a formula that is based on the effective date of the reduction and Sony’s common stock price. The reduced conversion price ranges from 3,526.5 yen to 5,008.0 yen per common share. The conversion price is also adjusted for dividends in excess of 25 yen per common share per fiscal year. The conversion price has been adjusted to 4,982.5 yen per common share since June 10, 2020 because the payment of the total annual dividend per common share for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 was 45 yen, which is in excess of 25 yen. Sony has the option to redeem all of the Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds outstanding at 100% of the principal amount after July 21, 2020, if the closing sales price per share of Sony’s common stock on the Tokyo Stock Exchange is 130% or more of the conversion price of the Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds for 20 consecutive trading days. Sony was not required to bifurcate any of the embedded features contained in the Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds for accounting purposes. There are no significant adverse debt covenants under the Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds. In October 2019, Sony issued unsecured straight bonds in the aggregate principal amount of 100,000 million yen. Sony used all of the proceeds of the issued bonds for the repayment of debt. There are no significant adverse debt covenants or cross-default provisions related to the other short-term borrowings and long-term debt. Aggregate amounts of annual maturities of long-term debt are as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2021 29,807 2022 159,102 2023 229,617 2024 81,041 2025 43,923 Later fiscal years 121,283 Total 664,773 At March 31, 2020, Sony had unused committed lines of credit amounting to 518,147 million yen and can generally borrow up to 180 days from the banks with whom Sony has committed line contracts. Furthermore, at March 31, 2020, Sony ha d

Housing loans and deposits from

Housing loans and deposits from customers in the banking business	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Banking and Thrift [Abstract]
Housing loans and deposits from customers in the banking business	12. Housing loans and deposits from customers in the banking business (1) Housing loans in the banking business Sony acquires and holds certain financial receivables in the normal course of business. The majority of financing receivables held by Sony consists of housing loans in the banking business and no other significant financial receivables exist. A subsidiary in the banking business monitors the credit quality of housing loans based on the classification set by the financial conditions and the past due status of individual obligors. Past due status is monitored on a daily basis and the aforementioned classification is reviewed on a quarterly basis. The allowance for the credit losses is established based on the aforementioned classifications and the evaluation of collateral. The amount of housing loans in the banking business and the corresponding allowance for credit losses as of March 31, 2019 were 1,685,504 million yen and 829 million yen, respectively, and as of March 31, 2020 were 1,927,054 million yen and 780 million yen, respectively. During the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, charge-offs on housing loans in the banking business and changes in the allowance for credit losses were not significant. The balance of housing loans placed on nonaccrual status or past due status were not significant as of March 31, 2019 and 2020. (2) Deposits from customers in the banking business All deposits from customers in the banking business within the Financial Services segment are interest bearing deposits. At March 31, 2019 and 2020, the balances of time deposits issued in amounts of 10 million yen or more were 292,968 million yen and 306,449 million yen, respectively. These amounts have been classified as current liabilities mainly due to the ability of the customers to make withdrawals prior to maturity. At March 31, 2020, aggregate amounts of annual maturities of time deposits with a remaining term of more than one year are as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2022 39,145 2023 16,102 2024 10,513 2025 3,238 2026 2,190 Later fiscal years 12,823 Total 84,011

Fair value measurements

Fair value measurements	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair value measurements	13. Fair value measurements As discussed in Note 2, assets and liabilities subject to the accounting guidance for fair value measurements held by Sony are classified and accounted for as described below. (1) Assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis The following section describes the valuation techniques used by Sony to measure different financial instruments at fair value, including an indication of the level in the fair value hierarchy in which each instrument is generally classified. Debt securities, equity securities, and other investments Where quoted prices are available in an active market, securities are classified in level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Level 1 securities include exchange-traded equities. If quoted market prices are not available for the specific security or the market is inactive, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or discounted cash flows and mainly classified in level 2 of the hierarchy. Level 2 securities include debt securities with quoted prices that are traded less frequently than exchange-traded instruments, such as the majority of government bonds and corporate bonds. In certain cases where there is limited activity or less transparency around inputs to the valuation, securities are classified within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Level 3 securities primarily include certain securitized products, certain hybrid financial instruments, certain private equity investments, and certain domestic and foreign corporate bonds not classified within level 1 or level 2. Derivatives Exchange-traded derivatives valued using quoted prices are classified within level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. However, few classes of derivative contracts are listed on an exchange; thus, the majority of Sony’s derivative positions are valued using internally developed models that use as their basis readily observable market parameters — i.e., parameters that are actively quoted and can be validated to external sources, including industry pricing services. Depending on the types and contractual terms of derivatives, fair value can be modeled using a series of techniques, such as the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which are consistently applied. Where derivative products have been established for some time, Sony uses models that are widely accepted in the financial services industry. These models reflect the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity, and market-based parameters such as interest rates, volatility, and the credit rating of the counterparty. Further, many of these models do not contain a high level of subjectivity as the techniques used in the models do not require significant judgment, and inputs to the model are readily observable from actively quoted markets. Such instruments are generally classified within level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. In determining the fair value of Sony’s interest rate swap derivatives, Sony uses the present value of expected cash flows based on market observable interest rate yield curves commensurate with the term of each instrument. For foreign currency derivatives, Sony’s approach is to use forward contract and option valuation models employing market observable inputs, such as spot currency rates, time value and option volatilities. These derivatives are classified within level 2 since Sony primarily uses observable inputs in its valuation of its derivative assets and liabilities. Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business In determining the fair value of future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business to which Sony applies the fair value option, Sony uses the present value of future expected cash flows based on mortality rates, lapse rates, discount rates, investment yield and various actuarial assumptions. These are classified within level 3 since Sony primarily uses unobservable inputs in its valuation. In determining the fair value of liability for the minimum guarantee benefits of variable annuities, Sony uses mortality rates (0.004%~44.865%), lapse rates (1.000 % e The fair value of Sony’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows. Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Marketable Securities Other Other Assets: Debt securities Trading securities 22,105 212,012 — 234,117 234,117 — — — Available-for-sale Japanese national government bonds — 1,643,589 — 1,643,589 18,719 1,624,870 — — Japanese local government bonds — 67,497 — 67,497 7,768 59,729 — — Japanese corporate bonds — 219,388 — 219,388 11,472 207,916 — — Foreign government bonds *1 — 161,495 — 161,495 3,984 157,511 — — Foreign corporate bonds *2 — 338,163 22,704 360,867 90,801 270,066 — — Securitized products *3 — 25,029 165,083 190,112 — 190,112 — — Other — 4,688 — 4,688 — 4,688 — — Equity securities 1,037,100 135,794 — 1,172,894 951,390 221,504 — — Other investments *4 5,489 1,507 6,918 13,914 — 13,914 — — Derivative assets *5 444 10,042 — 10,486 — — 9,431 1,055 Total assets 1,065,138 2,819,204 194,705 4,079,047 1,318,251 2,750,310 9,431 1,055 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Future insurance policy benefits Policyholders’ account Other current liabilities Other noncurrent liabilitie Liabilities: Derivative liabilities *5 136 32,686 — 32,822 — — 19,852 12,970 Total liabilities 136 32,686 — 32,822 — — 19,852 12,970 Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Marketable Securities Other Other Assets: Debt securities Trading securities 24,330 245,790 — 270,120 270,120 — — — Available-for-sale Japanese national government bonds — 1,761,929 — 1,761,929 10,011 1,751,918 — — Japanese local government bonds — 69,172 — 69,172 15,334 53,838 — — Japanese corporate bonds — 220,679 30 220,709 14,774 205,935 — — Foreign government bonds *1 — 279,777 — 279,777 2,690 277,087 — — Foreign corporate bonds *2 — 343,980 15,770 359,750 94,156 265,594 — — Securitized products *3 — 33,383 171,840 205,223 — 205,223 — — Other — 4,152 12,101 16,253 — 16,253 — — Equity securities 950,744 581,642 — 1,532,386 1,434,612 97,774 — — Other investments *4 7,162 816 9,242 17,220 — 17,220 — — Derivative assets *5 1,310 41,073 — 42,383 — — 40,784 1,599 Total assets 983,546 3,582,393 208,983 4,774,922 1,841,697 2,890,842 40,784 1,599 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Future insurance policy benefits Policyholders’ account Other current liabilities Other noncurrent liabilities Liabilities: Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business *6 — — 532,191 532,191 64,045 468,146 — — Derivative liabilities *5 2,077 33,789 — 35,866 — — 16,814 19,052 Total liabilities 2,077 33,789 532,191 568,057 64,045 468,146 16,814 19,052 *1 4,910 million yen and 7,771 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020 . *2 173,964 million yen and 188,426 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. In the consolidated balance sheets, 33,391 million yen and 34,502 million yen are included as marketable securities and 140,573 million yen and 153,924 million yen are included as securities investment and other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *3 185,195 million yen and 193,430 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 and level 3 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and are included in the consolidated balance sheets as securities investments and other. *4 Other investments include certain hybrid financial instruments and certain private equity investments. *5 Derivative assets and liabilities are recognized and disclosed on a gross basis. *6 Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business are those for which the fair value option has been elected. Net gains of 85 million yen and net loss of 12,408 million yen arising from assets and liabilities Transfers into level 1 were 1,769 million yen and 4,395 million yen for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, as quoted prices for certain trading debt securities and equity securities became available in an active market. Transfers out of level 1 were 2,508 million yen and 3,216 million yen for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, as quoted prices for certain trading debt securities were not available in an active market. The changes in fair value of level 3 assets and liabilities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 Assets Liabilities Debt securities Future Policyholders’ Available-for-sale securities Japanese Foreign Securitized Other Other Beginning balance — 27,878 83,614 — 9,104 — Total realized and unrealized gains (losses): Included in earnings *1 — 465 562 — 276 — Included in other comprehensive income *2 — 131 1 — — — Purchases and Issuances — 5,787 94,696 — 4 — Sales — — — — (6 ) — Settlements — (10,435 ) (13,601 ) — (2,460 ) — Transfers into level 3 *3 — 20,863 5,284 — — — Transfers out of level 3 *4 — (21,985 ) (5,473 ) — — — Ending balance — 22,704 165,083 — 6,918 — Changes in unrealized gains (losses) Included in earnings *1 — 219 510 — 441 — Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Assets Liabilities Debt securities Future s ’ account Available-for-sale securities Japanese Foreign Securitized Other Other Beginning balance — 22,704 165,083 — 6,918 — Acquisition of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., *5 — — — — — 547,190 Total realized and unrealized gains (losses): Included in earnings *1 — 311 (18,151 ) — (500 ) 12,500 Included *2 — (73 ) 1 — — 3,032 Purchases and Issuances 30 13,597 40,175 12,101 4,711 5,295 Sales — — — — (9 ) — Settlements — (20,867 ) (12,967 ) — (1,878 ) (4,762 ) Transfers into level 3 *3 — 3,374 — — — — Transfers out of level 3 *4 — (3,276 ) (2,301 ) — — — Ending balance 30 15,770 171,840 12,101 9,242 532,191 Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at reporting date: Included in earnings *1 — (94 ) (16,507 ) — (376 ) 10,273 *1 Earning effects are included in financi a *2 Unrealized gains (losses) are included in unrealized gains (losses) on securities, net for available-for-sale securities and included in debt valuation adjustments for future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. *3 Certain corporate bonds and certain securitized products were transferred into level 3 because differences between the fair value determined by indicative quotes from dealers and the fair value determined by internally developed prices became significant and the observability of the inputs used decreased. *4 Certain corporate bonds and certain securitized products were transferred out of level 3 because observable market data became available. *5 Refer to Note 25 Level 3 assets include certain securitized products, certain private equity investments, and certain domestic and foreign corporate bonds for which quoted prices are not available in a market and where there is less transparency around inputs. In determining the fair value of such assets, Sony uses third-party information such as indicative quotes from dealers without adjustment. Level 3 liabilities include future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business whose underlying figures are unobservable, and whose fair value is calculated in-house. For validating the fair values, Sony primarily uses internal models which include management judgment or estimation of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset. (2) Assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis Sony also has assets and liabilities that are required to be remeasured to fair value on a nonrecurring basis when certain circumstances occur. During the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, such remeasurements to fair value related primarily to the following: During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 Estimated fair value Amounts included in earnings Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Assets: Long-lived assets impairments — — 4,389 (44,135 ) Goodwill impairment — — 0 (5,107 ) (49,242 ) During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Estimated fair value Amounts included in earnings Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Assets: Remeasurement of retained investment in SRE 15,911 — — 13,347 Long-lived assets impairments — — 8,155 (36,003 ) (22,656 ) Long-lived assets impairments Sony recorded an impairment loss of 31,341 million yen, 19,172 million yen and 12,714 million yen for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively, included within the EP&S segment, related to long-lived assets in the smartphone business asset group. For the smartphone business asset group, the corresponding estimated future cash flows leading to the impairment charge reflected smartphone sales results and expectation of continued difficulty in the business environment. Sony recorded an impairment loss of 12,858 million yen for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, included within All Other, related to long-lived assets and goodwill in the storage media business asset group. As a result of conducting a strategic review of the business and evolving market trends, Sony reduced the corresponding estimated future cash flows of this business and the estimated ability to recover the entire carrying amount of the long-lived assets and goodwill within the period applicable to the impairment determination, resulting in an impairment charge for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. These measurements are classified as level 3 because significant unobservable inputs, such as the condition of the assets or projections of future cash flows, the timing of such cash flows and the discount rate reflecting the risk inherent in future cash flows, were considered in the fair value measurements. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, a discount rate of 8.5% and projected revenue growth rates ranging from (8)% to 6% were used in the fair value measurements related to the long-lived assets for the smartphone business. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, a discount rate of 8.5% and projected revenue growth rates ranging from (26)% to 24% were used in the fair value measurements related to the long-lived assets for the smartphone business. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, a discount rate of 10.6% and projected revenue growth rates ranging from (10)% to 70% were used in the fair value measurements related to the long-lived assets for the smartphone business. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, a discount rate of 8.9% and projected revenue growth rates ranging from (34)% to 21% were used in the fair value measurements related to the long-lived assets and goodwill for the storage media business. Except as described above, no other impairment losses were individually material for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. The other impairment losses were primarily related to the impairment losses in asset groups within Media Networks in the Pictures segment related to a review of the channel portfolio. Remeasurement of previously owned equity interest in EMI During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, Sony remeasured to fair value the previously owned equity interests in EMI in connection with EMI Music Publishing acquisition. The measurement is classified as level 3 because significant unobservable inputs, such as projections of future cash flows and market comparables of similar transactions and companies were considered in the fair value measurements. Refer to Note 25. Remeasurement of retained investment in SRE During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony sold part of its shares in SRE and remeasured the remaining shares to fair value. This measurement is classified as level 1 because a quoted price for the shares of SRE is available on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Refer to Note 5. Remeasurement of previously owned equity interest in AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony remeasured to fair value the previously owned equity interests in AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. (collectively, the “JVs”) in connection with acquisition of the JVs. The measurement is classified as level 3 because significant unobservable inputs, such as projections of future cash flows and market comparables of similar transactions and companies, were considered in the fair value measurements. AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. changed its name to “Sony Life With Insurance Co., Ltd.,” as of April 1, 2020. Refer to Note 25. (3) Financial instruments The estimated fair values by fair value hierarchy level of certain financial instruments that are not reported at fair value are summarized as follows: Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Estimated fair value Carrying Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Total Assets: Housing loans in the banking business — 1,861,384 — 1,861,384 1,685,504 Total assets — 1,861,384 — 1,861,384 1,685,504 Liabilities: Long-term debt including the current portion — 737,529 — 737,529 740,833 Investment contracts included in policyholders’ account in the life insurance business — 877,157 — 877,157 816,903 Total liabilities — 1,614,686 — 1,614,686 1,557,736 Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Estimated fair value Carrying Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Total Assets: Housing loans in the banking business — 2,161,432 — 2,161,432 1,927,054 Total assets — 2,161,432 — 2,161,432 1,927,054 Liabilities: Long-term debt including the current portion — 699,358 — 699,358 664,773 Investment contracts included in policyholders’ account in the life insurance business — 969,464 — 969,464 885,690 Total liabilities — 1,668,822 — 1,668,822 1,550,463 The summary excludes cash and cash equivalents, call loans, time deposits, notes and accounts receivable, trade, call money, short-term borrowings, notes and accounts payable, trade and deposits from customers in the banking business because the carrying values of these financial instruments approximated their fair values due to their short-term nature. The summary also excludes held-to-maturity Cash and cash equivalents, call loans and call money are classified in level 1. Time deposits, short-term borrowings, deposits from customers in the banking business are classified in level 2. Held-to-maturity

Derivative instruments and hedg

Derivative instruments and hedging activities	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Derivative instruments and hedging activities	14. Derivative instruments and hedging activities Sony has certain financial instruments including financial assets and liabilities acquired in the normal course of business. Such financial instruments are exposed to market risk arising from the changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. In applying a consistent risk management strategy for the purpose of reducing such risk, Sony uses derivative financial instruments, which include foreign exchange forward contracts, foreign currency option contracts, and interest rate swap agreements (including interest rate and currency swap agreements). Certain other derivative financial instruments are entered into in the Financial Services segment for asset-liability management (“ALM”) purposes. These instruments are executed with creditworthy financial institutions, and virtually all foreign currency contracts are denominated in U.S. dollars, euros and other currencies of major countries. These derivatives generally mature or expire within six months after the balance sheet date. Other than derivatives utilized in the Financial Services segment for ALM, Sony does not use derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. These derivative transactions utilized for ALM in the Financial Services segment are executed within certain limits in accordance with an internal risk management policy. Derivative financial instruments held by Sony are classified and accounted for as described below. Fair value hedges Both the derivatives designated as fair value hedges and the hedged items are reflected at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets. Changes in the fair value of the derivatives designated as fair value hedges, as well as offsetting changes in the carrying value of the underlying hedged items, are recognized in income. For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018 , 2 20 20 Cash flow hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are initially recorded in other comprehensive income (“OCI”) and reclassified into earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings. The time value component of the fair value of option contracts is excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness and recognized in earnings on a straight-line basis over the life of the hedging instruments. Any difference between the change in fair value of the excluded component and the Derivatives not designated as hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives not designated as hedges are recognized in income. A description of the purpose and classification of the derivative financial instruments held by Sony is as follows: Foreign exchange forward contracts and foreign currency option contracts Foreign exchange forward contracts and purchased and written foreign currency option contracts are utilized primarily to limit the exposure affected by changes in foreign currency exchange rates on cash flows generated or anticipated by Sony’s transactions and accounts receivable and payable denominated in foreign currencies. The majority of written foreign currency option contracts are a part of range forward contract arrangements and expire in the same month with the corresponding purchased foreign currency option contracts. Sony also entered into foreign exchange forward contracts and foreign exchange range forward contracts which effectively fixed the cash flows from certain forecasted purchase and sale transactions denominated in foreign currencies for the fiscal years ended March 31, , 2019 20 Foreign exchange forward contracts and foreign currency option contracts that do not qualify as hedges are marked-to-market Foreign exchange forward contracts, foreign currency option contracts and currency swap agreements held by certain subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment are marked-to-market Interest rate swap agreements (including interest rate and currency swap agreements) Interest rate swap agreements are utilized primarily to lower funding costs, to diversify sources of funding and to limit Sony’s exposure associated with underlying borrowings and available-for-sale Interest rate swap agreements entered into in the Financial Services segment are used for reducing the risk arising from the changes in the fair value of fixed rate available-for-sale available-for-sale Certain subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment have interest rate swap agreements as part of their ALM, which are marked-to-market Any other interest rate swap agreements that do not qualify as hedges, which are used for reducing the risk arising from changes of variable rate debt, are marked-to-market Other agreements Certain subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment have equity future contracts, equity swap agreements, bond future contracts, commodity future contracts, interest rate swaption agreements, other currency contracts and hybrid financial instruments as part of their ALM, which are marked-to-market The estimated fair values of Sony’s outstanding derivative instruments are summarized as follows: Derivatives designated as hedging Yen in millions Balance sheet location Fair value Balance sheet location Fair value March 31 March 31 Asset derivatives 2019 2020 Liability derivatives 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 10 9 Current liabilities: Other 141 183 Interest rate contracts Other assets: Other 101 27 Liabilities: Other 8,274 8,177 Foreign exchange contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 131 1,799 Current liabilities: Other 42 — 242 1,835 8,457 8,360 Derivatives not designated as Yen in millions Balance sheet location Fair value Balance sheet location Fair value March 31 March 31 Asset derivatives 2019 2020 Liability derivatives 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 39 44 Current liabilities: Other 344 200 Interest rate contracts Other assets: Other 882 1,523 Liabilities: Other 3,637 9,120 Foreign exchange contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 8,807 19,655 Current liabilities: Other 11,549 14,580 Foreign exchange contracts Other assets: Other 72 49 Liabilities: Other 1,059 1,755 Equity contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 444 18,886 Current liabilities: Other 7,776 1,476 Bond contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets — 306 Current liabilities: Other — 290 Commodity contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets — 85 Current liabilities: Other — 85 10,244 40,548 24,365 27,506 Total derivatives 10,486 42,383 32,822 35,866 Presented below are the effects of derivative instruments on the consolidated statements of income and the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Derivatives under fair value hedging relationships Yen in millions Location of gains or (losses) recognized Amounts of gains or (losses) recognized Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Financial services revenue (52 ) (1,835 ) (3,925 ) Total (52 ) (1,835 ) (3,925 ) Yen in millions Derivatives under cash flow hedging relationships Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Amounts recognized in unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments in OCI Foreign exchange contracts : Components included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness (2,295 ) 2,315 1,712 Components excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness that were recognized based on amortization approach — — 1,087 Total (2,295 ) 2,315 2,799 Derivatives under cash flow hedging relationships Yen in millions Affected line item in consolidated statements of income Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Amounts reclassified from unrealized Foreign exchange contracts : Components included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness Cost of sales 1,111 (1,093 ) — Net sales — — 106 Components excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness that were recognized based on amortization approach Net sales — — (1,087 ) Total 1,111 (1,093 ) (981 ) Derivatives not designated as Yen in millions Location of gains or (losses) recognized Amounts of gains or (losses) recognized Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Financial services revenue (1,544 ) (3,192 ) 1,190 Foreign exchange contracts Financial services revenue 2,013 (8,198 ) 2,473 Foreign exchange contracts Foreign exchange loss, net 21,370 (7,437 ) 10,184 Equity contracts Financial services revenue (11,665 ) (7,649 ) 15,438 Bond contracts Financial services revenue — — (2,954 ) Commodity contracts Financial services revenue — — 110 Total 10,174 (26,476 ) 26,441 Presented below are the amortized cost of hedged items, which are available-for-sale debt securities, and cumulative amount of fair value hedging adjustments to hedged items under fair value hedging relationships as of March 31, 2020. Derivatives under hedging relationships Yen in millions Balance sheet location of hedged items March 31, 2020 Amortized cost Cumulative effect to carrying amount of hedged items by fair value hedges Interest rate contracts Marketable securities 15,255 — Interest rate contracts Securities investments and other 91,080 — Total 106,335 — The following table summarizes additional information, including notional amounts, for each type of derivative: Yen in millions March 31, 2019 March 31, 2020 Notional Fair value Notional Fair value Foreign exchange contracts: Foreign exchange forward contracts 701,880 (304 ) 740,464 4,361 Currency option contracts purchased 53,846 179 473 7 Currency option contracts written 58,825 (35 ) 460 (5 ) Currency swap agreements 959,777 (5,564 ) 893,874 (1,006 ) Other currency contracts 68,513 2,084 62,080 1,811 Interest rate contracts: Interest rate swap agreements 339,934 (11,346 ) 994,133 (16,019 ) Interest rate swaption agreements 5,300 (18 ) 18,700 (58 ) Equity contracts: Equity future contracts 58,725 308 63,354 (871 ) Equity swap agreements 63,107 (7,640 ) 103,409 18,281 Bond contracts: Bond — — 56,546 16 Commodity contracts: Commodity future contracts — — 1,465 0 All derivatives are recognized as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets on a gross basis, but certain subsidiaries have entered into master netting agreements or other similar agreements, which are mainly International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) Master Agreements. An ISDA Master Agreement is an agreement between two counterparties that may have multiple derivative contracts with each other, and such ISDA Master Agreement may provide for the net settlement of all or a specified group of these derivative contracts, through a single payment, in a single currency, in the event of a default on or affecting any one derivative contract, or a termination event affecting all or a specified group of derivative contracts. Presented below are the effects of offsetting derivative assets, derivative liabilities, financial assets and financial liabilities as of March 31, 2019 and 2020. Yen in millions As of March 31, 2019 Gross amounts balance sheet Gross amounts not offset in the Financial Cash collateral Net amounts Derivative assets subject to master netting agreements 6,855 3,442 136 3,277 Derivative assets not subject to master netting agreements 3,631 3,631 Total assets 10,486 3,442 136 6,908 Derivative liabilities subject to master netting agreements 25,872 3,970 20,191 1,711 Derivative liabilities not subject to master netting agreements 6,950 6,950 Repurchase, securities lending and similar arrangements 432,820 432,820 — — Total liabilities 465,642 436,790 20,191 8,661 Yen in millions As of March 31, 2020 Gross amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheet Gross amounts not offset in the Financial Cash collateral Net amounts Derivative assets subject to master netting agreements 38,281 12,614 20,545 5,122 Derivative assets not subject to master netting agreements 4,102 4,102 Total assets 42,383 12,614 20,545 9,224 Derivative liabilities subject to master netting agreements 31,896 7,086 23,873 937 Derivative liabilities not subject to master netting agreements 3,970 3,970 Repurchase, securities lending and similar arrangements 567,194 564,874 — 2,320 Total liabilities 603,060 571,960 23,873 7,227

Pension and severance plans

Pension and severance plans	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Pension and severance plans	15. Pension and severance plans (1) Defined benefit and severance plans Upon terminating employment, employees of Sony Corporation and its subsidiaries in Japan are entitled, under most circumstances, to lump-sum Under the plans, in general, the defined benefits cover 65% of the indemnities under existing regulations to employees. The remaining indemnities are covered by severance payments by the companies. The pension benefits are payable at the option of the retiring employee either in a lump-sum From April 1, 2012, Sony Corporation and substantially all of its subsidiaries in Japan have modified existing defined benefit pension plans such that life annuities will no longer accrue additional service benefits, with those participants instead accruing fixed-term annuities. The defined benefit pension plans were closed to new participants and a defined contribution plan was also introduced. From October 1, 2019, Sony Corporation and substantially all of its subsidiaries in Japan have amended their defined benefit pension plans and have implemented defined contribution plans for all employees other than those employees that had retired before the amendments. As a result, accrued pension and severance costs decreased 74,872 million yen and accumulated other comprehensive income increased 81,230 million yen in the consolidated balance sheets as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. In addition, a loss on the pension plan amendment of 6,358 million yen was recorded in other expenses in the consolidated statements of income for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. In addition, several of Sony’s foreign subsidiaries have defined benefit pension plans or severance indemnity plans, which cover substantially all of their employees. Under such plans, the related cost of benefits is currently funded or accrued. Benefits awarded under these plans are based primarily on the current rate of pay and length of service. The components of net periodic benefit costs for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Japanese plans Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Service cost 25,185 23,128 17,948 Interest cost 8,024 7,020 4,162 Expected return on plan assets (16,440 ) (16,695 ) (17,040 ) Recognized actuarial loss 16,099 15,365 12,969 Amortization of prior service costs (8,693 ) (7,864 ) (4,294 ) Losses on curtailments and settlements — — 6,358 Net periodic benefit costs 24,175 20,954 20,103 Foreign plans Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Service cost 3,181 2,780 3,616 Interest cost 10,393 10,083 9,212 Expected return on plan assets (11,687 ) (11,797 ) (10,916 ) Amortization of net transition asset 5 — — Recognized actuarial loss 3,014 2,656 2,606 Amortization of prior service costs (574 ) (269 ) 2 Losses on curtailments and settlements 1,058 1,804 68 Net periodic benefit costs 5,390 5,257 4,588 The components of net periodic benefit costs other than service cost for the fiscal year s The estimated net actuarial loss and prior service cost for the defined benefit pension plans that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit costs over the next fiscal year are 12,185 million yen and 1,412 million yen, respectively. The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets as well as the funded status and composition of amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Change in benefit obligation: Benefit obligation at beginning of the fiscal year 1,010,574 1,034,954 356,397 351,918 Service cost 23,128 17,948 2,780 3,616 Interest cost 7,020 4,162 10,083 9,212 Plan participants’ contributions — — 462 487 Plan amendments — — — 10,210 Actuarial (gain) loss 29,295 (3,330 ) 1,700 19,776 Foreign currency exchange rate changes — — (1,554 ) (16,919 ) Curtailments and settlements — (359,205 ) (6,120 ) (4,434 ) Effect of changes in consolidated subsidiaries — — 1,947 — Other 6 2 — — Benefits paid (35,069 ) (35,668 ) (13,777 ) (14,055 ) Benefit obligation at end of the fiscal year 1,034,954 658,863 351,918 359,811 Change in plan assets: Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year 711,077 742,204 269,745 274,749 Actual return on plan assets 18,701 2,942 15,243 26,738 Foreign currency exchange rate changes — — (838 ) (14,904 ) Employer contribution 36,875 7,453 8,542 9,916 Plan participants’ contributions — — 462 487 Curtailments and settlements — (284,333 ) (5,960 ) (3,146 ) Benefits paid (24,449 ) (31,060 ) (12,445 ) (12,730 ) Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year 742,204 437,206 274,749 281,110 Funded status at end of the fiscal year (292,750 ) (221,657 ) (77,169 ) (78,701 ) Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Noncurrent assets 3,476 3,391 14,745 24,777 Current liabilities — — (4,412 ) (4,355 ) Noncurrent liabilities (296,226 ) (225,048 ) (87,502 ) (99,123 ) Ending balance (292,750 ) (221,657 ) (77,169 ) (78,701 ) Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income, excluding tax effects, consist of: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Prior service cost (credit) (8,859 ) (369 ) (45 ) 10,058 Net actuarial loss 311,128 223,354 71,906 66,326 Ending balance 302,269 222,985 71,861 76,384 The accumulated benefit obligations for all defined benefit pension plans were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Accumulated benefit obligations 1,029,910 654,209 336,185 354,100 The projected benefit obligations, the accumulated benefit obligations and fair value of plan assets for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Projected benefit obligations 1,022,235 645,544 200,596 230,058 Accumulated benefit obligations 1,017,191 640,890 196,928 226,080 Fair value of plan assets 726,009 420,497 123,937 130,955 Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations as of March 31, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Discount rate 0.6 % 0.6 % 2.8 % 2.0 % Rate of compensation increase * * 2.3 2.2 * Substantially all of Sony’s Japanese pension plans were point-based. Point-based plans do not incorporate a measure of compensation rate increases. Weighted-average assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit costs for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Fiscal year ended March 31 Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 2018 2019 2020 Discount rate 0.9 % 0.8 % 0.6 % 3.1 % 2.9 % 2.8 % Expected return on plan assets 2.4 2.6 2.6 4.6 4.4 4.2 Rate of compensation increase * * * 2.4 2.6 2.3 * Substantially all of Sony’s Japanese pension plans were point-based. Point-based plans do not incorporate a measure of compensation rate increases. Sony reviews these assumptions for changes in circumstances. The weighted-average rate of compensation increase is calculated based only on the pay-related The mortality rate assumptions are based on life expectancy and death rates for different types of participants. To determine the expected long-term rate of return on pension plan assets, Sony considers the current and expected asset allocations, as well as the historical and expected long-term rates of returns on various categories of plan assets. Sony’s pension investment policy recognizes the expected growth and the variability risk associated with the long-term nature of pension liabilities, the returns and risks of diversification across asset classes, and the correlation among assets. The asset allocations are designed to maximize returns consistent with levels of liquidity and investment risk that are considered prudent and reasonable. While the pension investment policy gives appropriate consideration to recent market performance and historical returns, the investment assumptions utilized by Sony are designed to achieve a long-term return consistent with the long-term nature of the corresponding pension liabilities. The investment objectives of Sony’s plan assets are designed to generate returns that will enable the plans to meet their future obligations. The precise amount for which these obligations will be settled depends on future events, including the retirement dates and life expectancy of the plans’ participants. The obligations are estimated using actuarial assumptions, based on the current economic environment and other pertinent factors. Sony’s investment strategy balances the requirement to generate returns, using potentially higher yielding assets such as equity securities, with the need to control risk in the portfolio with less volatile assets, such as fixed-income securities. Risks include, among others, inflation, volatility in equity values and changes in interest rates that could negatively impact the funding level of the plans, thereby increasing its dependence on contributions from Sony. To mitigate any potential concentration risk, thorough consideration is given to balancing the portfolio among industry sectors and geographies, taking into account interest rate sensitivity, dependence on economic growth, currency and other factors that affect investment returns. The target allocations as of March 31, 2020, are, as a result of Sony’s asset liability management, 17% of equity securities, 54% of fixed income securities and 29% of other investments for the pension plans of Sony Corporation and most of its subsidiaries in Japan, and, on a weighted average basis, 14% of equity securities, 63% of fixed income securities and 23% of other investments for the pension plans of foreign subsidiaries. The fair values of the assets held by Japanese and foreign plans, which are classified in accordance with the fair value hierarchy described in Note 2, are as follows: Japanese plans Yen in millions Fair value at March 31, 2019 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 10,689 10,689 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 140,559 135,713 4,846 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 210,817 — 210,817 — Corporate bonds *3 97,519 — 97,519 — Asset-backed securities *4 1,537 — 1,537 — Commingled funds *5 138,455 — 138,455 — Commodity funds *6 21,674 — 21,674 — Private equity *7 27,956 — — 27,956 Hedge funds *8 71,606 — — 71,606 Real estate and other *9 21,392 — — 21,392 Total 742,204 146,402 474,848 120,954 Japanese plans Yen in millions Fair value at March 31, 2020 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 24,851 24,851 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 50,646 47,308 3,338 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 107,478 1,087 106,391 — Corporate bonds *3 71,192 20 71,172 — Asset-backed securities *4 1,090 — 1,090 — Commingled funds *5 58,740 — 58,740 — Commodity funds *6 21,823 — 21,823 — Private equity *7 30,191 — — 30,191 Hedge funds *8 48,410 — — 48,410 Real estate and other *9 22,785 — (2,586 ) 25,371 Total 437,206 73,266 259,968 103,972 *1 Includes approximately 51 percent and 37 percent of Japanese equity securities, and 49 percent and 63 percent of foreign equity securities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *2 Includes approximately 48 percent and 36 percent of debt securities issued by Japanese national and local governments, and 52 percent and 64 percent of debt securities issued by foreign national and local governments for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *3 Includes debt securities issued by Japanese and foreign corporation and government related agencies. *4 Includes primarily mortgage-backed securities. *5 Commingled funds represent pooled institutional investments, including primarily investment trusts. They include approximately 50 percent and 50 percent of investments in equity, 49 percent and 45 percent of investments in fixed income, and 1 percent and 5 percent of investments in other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *6 Represents commodity futures funds. *7 Includes multiple private equity funds of funds that primarily invest in venture, buyout, and distressed markets in the United States and Europe. *8 Includes primarily funds that invest in a portfolio of a broad range of hedge funds to diversify the risks and reduce the volatilities associated with a single hedge fund. *9 Includes primarily private real estate investment trusts. Foreign plans Yen in millions Fair value at 2019 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 4,340 4,340 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 23,766 23,113 653 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 84,761 — 84,761 — Corporate bonds *3 32,749 — 32,749 — Asset-backed securities 1,115 — 1,115 — Insurance contracts *4 18,308 — 5,814 12,494 Commingled funds *5 76,503 — 76,503 — Real estate and other *6 33,207 — 11,118 22,089 Total 274,749 27,453 212,713 34,583 Foreign plans Yen in millions Fair value at 2020 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 4,632 4,632 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 18,380 17,762 618 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 93,826 — 93,826 — Corporate bonds *3 31,769 — 31,769 — Asset-backed securities 1,320 — 1,320 — Insurance contracts *4 19,334 — 7,156 12,178 Commingled funds *5 78,280 — 78,280 — Real estate and other *6 33,569 — 11,272 22,297 Total 281,110 22,394 224,241 34,475 *1 Includes primarily foreign equity securities. *2 Includes primarily foreign government debt securities. *3 Includes primarily foreign corporate debt securities. *4 Represents annuity contracts with or without profit sharing. *5 Commingled funds represent pooled institutional investments including mutual funds, common trust funds, and collective investment funds. They are primarily comprised of foreign equities and fixed income investments. *6 Includes primarily private real estate investment trusts. Each level in the fair value hierarchy in which each plan asset is classified is determined based on inputs used to measure the fair values of the asset, and does not necessarily indicate the risks or rating of the asset. The following is a description of the valuation techniques used to measure Japanese and foreign plan assets at fair value. The valuation techniques are applied consistently from period to period. Equity securities are valued at the closing price reported in the active market in which the individual securities are traded. These assets are generally classified as level 1. The fair value of fixed income securities is typically estimated using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or discounted cash flows and are generally classified as level 2. Commingled funds are typically measured using the valuation provided by the administrator of the fund and reviewed by Sony. The valuation is based on Sony’s interest in the value of the underlying assets owned by the fund minus liabilities. These assets are classified as level 1, level 2 or level 3 depending on availability of quoted market prices. Commodity funds are valued using inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data. These assets are generally classified as level 2. Private equity and private real estate investment trust valuations require significant judgment due to the absence of quoted market prices, the inherent lack of liquidity and the long-term nature of such assets. These assets are initially valued at cost and are reviewed periodically utilizing available and relevant market data to determine if the carrying value of these assets should be adjusted. These investments are classified as level 3. Hedge funds are measured using the valuation provided by the administrator or custodian of the fund and reviewed by Sony. The valuation is based on Sony’s interest in the value of the underlying assets owned by the fund minus liabilities. These investments are classified as level 3. The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the fair values of Japanese and foreign plans’ level 3 assets for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020: Japanese plans Yen in millions Fair value measurement using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) Private equity Hedge funds Real estate and other Total Beginning balance at April 1, 2018 24,144 70,204 19,431 113,779 Return on assets held at end of year 4,428 659 1,622 6,709 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (616 ) 743 339 466 Ending balance at March 31, 2019 27,956 71,606 21,392 120,954 Return on assets held at end of year 2,649 (648 ) 418 2,419 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (414 ) (22,548 ) 3,561 (19,401 ) Ending balance at March 31, 2020 30,191 48,410 25,371 103,972 Foreign plans Yen in millions Fair value measurement using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) Insurance Corporate bonds Real estate and other Total Beginning balance at April 1, 2018 12,729 5,303 25,976 44,008 Return on assets held at end of year 736 — 559 1,295 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (389 ) — (3,809 ) (4,198 ) Transfers, net — (5,540 ) 123 (5,417 ) Other * (582 ) 237 (760 ) (1,105 ) Ending balance at March 31, 2019 12,494 — 22,089 34,583 Return on assets held at end of year 559 — 132 691 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (373 ) — 755 382 Transfers, net — — — — Other * (502 ) — (679 ) (1,181 ) Ending balance at March 31, 2020 12,178 — 22,297 34,475 * Primarily consists of translation adjustments. Sony makes contributions to its defined benefit pension plans as deemed appropriate by management after considering the fair value of plan assets, expected return on plan assets and the present value of benefit obligations. Sony expects to contribute approximately 2 billion yen to the Japanese plans and approximately 8 billion yen to the foreign plans during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. The expected future benefit payments are as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions Yen in millions 2021 37,384 20,825 2022 36,228 104,988 2023 36,985 12,089 2024 38,271 12,269 2025 37,216 13,074 2026 — 2030 185,218 112,218 (2) Defined contribution plans Total defined contribution expenses for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Japanese plans 3,237 3,353 6,925 Foreign plans 11,379 11,602 10,313

Stockholders' equity

Stockholders' equity	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Equity [Abstract]
Stockholders' equity	16. Stockholders’ equity (1) Common stock Changes in the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 have resulted from the following: Number of shares Balance at March 31, 2017 1,263,763,660 Issuance of new shares 218,000 Exercise of stock acquisition rights 2,565,700 Conversion of convertible bonds 4,789 Balance at March 31, 2018 1,266,552,149 Issuance of new shares 149,900 Exercise of stock acquisition rights 4,525,300 Conversion of convertible bonds 2,992 Balance at March 31, 2019 1,271,230,341 Issuance of new shares 184,900 Exercise of stock acquisition rights 2,294,900 Conversion of convertible bonds 86,040 Cancellation of treasury stock (12,737,400 ) Balance at March 31, 2020 1,261,058,781 At March 31, 2020, 36,802,040 shares of common stock would be issued upon the conversion or exercise of all convertible bonds and stock acquisition rights outstanding. Conversions of convertible bonds into common stock are accounted for in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act of Japan ( Kaishaho one-half paid-in Sony Corporation may purchase its own shares at any time by a resolution of the Board of Directors up to the retained earnings available for dividends to shareholders, in accordance with the Companies Act. Sony Corporation’s Board of Directors resolved and authorized the repurchase of shares of its own common stock pursuant to the Companies Act at the meeting of the Board of Directors held on February 8, 2019. During the year ended March 31, 2019, Sony Corporation repurchased 19,309,100 shares of its common stock for an amount of 100,000 million yen under the above resolution. Sony Corporation’s Board of Directors resolved and authorized the repurchase of shares of its own common stock pursuant to the Companies Act at the meeting of the Board of Directors held on May 16, 2019. During the year ended March 31, 2020, Sony Corporation repurchased 33,059,200 shares of its common stock for an amount of 199,999 million yen under the above resolution. Based on the resolution of Sony Corporation ’s Representative Corporate Executive Officer delegated by the Board of Directors, Sony Corporation canceled 12,737,400 shares of its common stock held as treasury stock on March 26, 2020. (2) Retained earnings The amount of statutory retained earnings of Sony Corporation available for dividends to shareholders as of March 31, 2020 was 683,084 million yen. The appropriation of retained earnings for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, including cash dividends for the six-month period ended March 31, 2020, has been incorporated in the consolidated financial statements. This appropriation of retained earnings was approved by the written resolution of the Board of Directors of Sony Corporation as of May 13, 2020 and was then recorded in the statutory books of account, in accordance with the Companies Act. Retained earnings include Sony’s equity in undistributed earnings of affiliated companies accounted for by the equity method in the amount of 46,477 million yen and 61,226 million yen at March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. (3) Other comprehensive income Changes in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, by component for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Unrealized Unrealized Pension Foreign Total Balance at March 31, 2017 126,635 (58 ) (308,736 ) (436,610 ) (618,769 ) Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 2,013 (2,295 ) 1,779 (4,480 ) (2,983 ) Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income * (943 ) 1,111 10,611 (1,855 ) 8,924 Net other comprehensive income 1,070 (1,184 ) 12,390 (6,335 ) 5,941 Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests 1,514 — 98 2,306 3,918 Balance at March 31, 2018 126,191 (1,242 ) (296,444 ) (445,251 ) (616,746 ) Yen in millions Unrealized Unrealized Pension Adjustment Foreign Total Balance at March 31, 2018 126,191 (1,242 ) (296,444 ) (445,251 ) (616,746 ) Cumulative effect of ASU2016-01 (15,526 ) — — — (15,526 ) Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 33,124 2,316 (23,448 ) 10,071 22,063 Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income * 161 (1,093 ) 9,488 (1,627 ) 6,929 Net other comprehensive income 33,285 1,223 (13,960 ) 8,444 28,992 Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests 8,915 — 53 (1,578 ) 7,390 Balance at March 31, 2019 135,035 (19 ) (310,457 ) (435,229 ) (610,670 ) Yen in millions Unrealized Unrealized Pension Foreign Debt Total Balance at March 31, 2019 135,035 (19 ) (310,457 ) (435,229 ) — (610,670 ) Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 40,334 1,193 (17,519 ) (75,814 ) 3,032 (48,774 ) Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income * 56 74 92,490 (74 ) — 92,546 Net other comprehensive income 40,390 1,267 74,971 (75,888 ) 3,032 43,772 Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests 14,234 — 34 (1,245 ) 1,059 14,082 Balance at March 31, 2020 161,191 1,248 (235,520 ) (509,872 ) 1,973 (580,980 ) * Foreign currency translation adjustments were transferred from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income as a result of a complete or substantially complete liquidation or sale of certain foreign subsidiaries and affiliates. Reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Comprehensive income components Amounts reclassified from Affected line items in consolidated statements of income 2018 2019 2020 Unrealized gains (losses) on securities (646 ) 235 82 Financial services revenue (561 ) — — Gain on sale of securities investments, net Total before tax (1,207 ) 235 82 Tax expense or (benefit) 264 (74 ) (26 ) Net of tax (943 ) 161 56 Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments 1,111 (1,093 ) — Cost of sales — — 106 Net sales Total before tax 1,111 (1,093 ) 106 Tax expense or (benefit) — — (32 ) Net of tax 1,111 (1,093 ) 74 Pension liability adjustment 11,034 9,891 92,514 * Tax expense or (benefit) (423 ) (403 ) (24 ) Net of tax 10,611 9,488 92,490 Foreign currency translation adjustments (1,855 ) (1,627 ) (74 ) Foreign exchange loss, net and other operating (income) expense, net Tax expense or (benefit) — — — Net of tax (1,855 ) (1,627 ) (74 ) Total amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax 8,924 6,929 92,546 * The amortization of pension and postretirement benefit components is (4) Equity transactions with noncontrolling interests Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders and transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders 490,794 916,271 582,191 Transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests: Increase (decrease) in additional paid-in (74 ) (22,775 ) 16,372 Change from net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders and transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests 490,720 893,496 598,563 During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, Sony acquired from the Estate of Michael Jackson (the “Estate”) the 25.1% interest in Nile Acquisition LLC (“Nile”) held by the Estate. A total of 287.5 million U.S. dollars was paid to the Estate for the acquisition. The difference between the cash consideration paid and the carrying amount of the noncontrolling interests was recognized as a decrease to additional paid-in On November 18, 2019, Sony, through a wholly-owned subsidiary in the Pictures segment, acquired AT&T Inc.’s (“AT&T”) 42% equity interest in Game Show Network, LLC (“Game Show Network”), a U.S.-based media network subsidiary. As a result of this acquisition, Game Show Network has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony. Sony paid 53,992 million yen (496 million U.S. dollars) to AT&T, including 129 million U.S. dollars of dividends Sony distributed to AT&T prior to the acquisition. The difference between the cash paid and the carrying amount of the noncontrolling interests was recognized as an increase to additional paid-in

Stock-based compensation plans

Stock-based compensation plans	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Stock-based compensation plans	17. Stock-based compensation plans The stock-based compensation expense for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 5,249 million yen, 5,499 million yen and 5,958 million yen, respectively. Sony has a stock-based compensation incentive plan for selected directors, corporate executive officers and employees in the form of a stock acquisition rights plan. The stock acquisition rights generally have three year graded vesting schedules and are exercisable up to ten years from the date of grant. The total cash received from exercises under all of the stock acquisition rights plans during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 7,129 million yen, 12,757 million yen and 7,560 million yen, respectively. Sony issued new shares of common stock upon exercise of these rights. The weighted-average fair value per share at the date of grant of stock acquisition rights granted during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 2,045 yen, 1,593 yen and 1,864 yen, respectively. The fair value of stock acquisition rights granted on the date of grant and used to recognize compensation expense for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Weighted-average assumptions Risk-free interest rate 1.14 % 1.37 % 0.70 % Expected lives 6.55 years 5.98 years 5.73 years Expected volatility * 38.49 % 32.52 % 29.30 % Expected dividends 0.40 % 0.35 % 0.32 % * Expected volatility was based on the historical volatilities of Sony Corporation’s common stock over the expected life of the stock acquisition rights. A summary of the activities regarding the stock acquisition rights plan during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 is as follows: Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Number of Weighted- Weighted- Total intrinsic value Yen Years Yen in millions Outstanding at beginning of the fiscal year 12,213,900 3,665 Granted 3,279,700 6,669 Exercised 2,294,900 3,294 Forfeited or expired 322,000 5,500 Outstanding at end of the fiscal year 12,876,700 4,982 7.52 19,459 Exercisable at end of the fiscal year 6,235,700 3,581 6.43 15,552 The total intrinsic value of shares exercised under the stock acquisition rights plan during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 6,970 million yen, 13,325 million yen and 7,575 million yen, respectively. As of March 31, 2020, there was 5,912 million yen years.

Kumamoto Earthquake

Kumamoto Earthquake	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Unusual or Infrequent Items, or Both [Abstract]
Kumamoto Earthquake	18. Kumamoto Earthquake In April 2016, a series of earthquakes occurred in the Kumamoto region of Japan. These earthquakes caused damage to certain fixed assets, including buildings, machinery and equipment, as well as inventories in manufacturing sites located in the Kumamoto region. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, Sony incurred incremental losses and associated expenses including repair costs of fixed assets and a loss on disposal of inventories directly related to the damage caused by the earthquakes of 16,682 million yen. These losses and expenses were primarily recorded in cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income and were offset by insurance recoveries of 10,682 million yen, as described below. In addition, Sony incurred other expenses of 9,365 million yen, which included idle facility costs at manufacturing sites. These expenses were primarily recorded in cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income. Sony has insurance policies that cover certain damage directly caused by the earthquakes for Sony Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries, including damage at manufacturing sites. The insurance policies cover the damage and costs associated with fixed assets and inventories, as well as incremental expenses including removal and cleaning costs. These policies also provide business interruption coverage, including coverage for lost profits. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, Sony recorded insurance receivables of 10,682 million yen, representing a portion of the insurance recoveries that were deemed probable of collection up to the extent of the amount of corresponding losses recognized in the same period. Of the insurance receivables recorded during the period, substantially all relate to damaged assets and inventories, and do not include amounts for business interruption or lost profits. Sony concluded that the recoveries from insurance claims are probable based on the coverage under valid policies, communications with the insurance carriers, Sony’s past claims history with the insurance carriers, and Sony’s assessment that the insurance carriers have the financial ability to pay the claims. In March 2017, 10,000 million yen was agreed to by the insurance carriers. These receivables are recorded within other receivables, whereas the remaining receivables of 682 million yen is recorded in other current assets in the consolidated balance sheets as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. Sony has underwritten 2,000 million yen in reinsurance policies for the above insurance carriers related to the policy described above. The amount was recorded in other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017 and was paid to the insurance carriers in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. In April 2017, the remaining insurance claims of 10,000 million yen that were mainly for business interruption coverage were agreed to by the carriers. As a result, the total amount of insurance recoveries paid to Sony in April 2017 was 20,000 million yen. 9,318 million yen, which was the difference between 20,000 million yen and 10,682 million yen as described above, was recorded in other operating revenue for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. The proceeds from insurance recoveries were presented as cash flows from operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

Revenue

Revenue	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue	19. Revenue (1) Contract balances Receivables from contracts with customers, contract assets and contract liabilities are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 3 2019 March 31, 2020 Receivables from contracts with customers *1 1,183,115 1,126,597 Contract assets *1 19,147 13,985 Contract liabilities *2 254,646 271,286 *1 Receivables from contracts with customers and contract assets are included in the consolidated balance sheets as “Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets” and “Other”, non-current. *2 Contract liabilities are included in the consolidated balance sheets as “Other”, both current and non-current. Contract liabilities principally relate to customer advances received prior to performance. Revenues of 204,265 million yen were recognized during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, which were included in the balance of contract liabilities at March 31 (2) Performance obligations Remaining (unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied) performance obligations represent future revenues not yet recorded for firm orders that have not yet been performed. Sony applies practical expedients to exclude certain information about the remaining performance obligations, primarily related to contracts with an expected original duration of less than one year, and sales-based or usage-based royalty revenue on licenses of intellectual property. The following table shows the summary of the transaction prices allocated to remaining performance obligations that are unsatisfied at March 31, 2020, of which more than half are expected to be recognized within one year and substantially all within three years. Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Pictures — Motion Pictures and Television Productions *1 569,081 Pictures — Media Networks 22,333 Music *2 44,971 Others 47,126 *1 For Motion Pictures and Television Productions in the Pictures segment, Sony has included all contracts regardless of duration. *2 Amount included in the Music segment primarily consists of minimum royalty guarantees or fixed fees in contracts related to license revenue for ongoing access to an evolving library of content. These contracts also include the potential for sales-based or usage-based royalties to exceed the minimum guarantees, and these additional royalties are excluded from the amount above, of which substantially all are recognized as revenue within three years. (3) Contract costs Contract costs are comprised as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2019 March 31, 2020 Incremental costs of obtaining a contract 6,581 7,464 Sony applies practical expedients to recognize the incremental costs of obtaining a contract as an expense if the amortization period of the asset that otherwise would have been recognized is one year or less. The amortization of 6,420 million yen was recognized during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. The incremental costs of obtaining a contract are primarily recognized in the EP&S segment for the internet-related service business and amortized to expense over the contract period. (4) Disaggregation of revenue For the breakdown of sales and operating revenue by segments, product categories and geographies, refer to Note 29.

Restructuring charges

Restructuring charges	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring charges	20. Restructuring charges As part of its effort to improve the performance of the various businesses, Sony has undertaken a number of restructuring initiatives. Sony defines restructuring initiatives as activities initiated by Sony, which are designed to generate a positive impact on future profitability. These activities include exiting a business or product category, implementing a headcount reduction program, realignment of its manufacturing sites to low-cost The changes in the accrued restructuring charges for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Employee Non-cash * Other Total Balance at March 31, 2017 11,634 — 9,167 20,801 Restructuring costs 18,999 2,233 1,147 22,379 Non-cash — (2,233 ) — (2,233 ) Cash payments (9,950 ) — (6,352 ) (16,302 ) Adjustments (1,197 ) — 226 (971 ) Balance at March 31, 2018 19,486 — 4,188 23,674 Restructuring costs 24,449 2,731 5,825 33,005 Non-cash — (2,731 ) — (2,731 ) Cash payments (19,150 ) — (2,555 ) (21,705 ) Adjustments 955 — (357 ) 598 Balance at March 31, 2019 25,740 — 7,101 32,841 Restructuring costs 22,957 100 1,653 24,710 Non-cash — (100 ) — (100 ) Cash payments (23,385 ) — (6,703 ) (30,088 ) Adjustments (674 ) — (131 ) (805 ) Balance at March 31, 2020 24,638 — 1,920 26,558 * Significant asset impairments excluded from restructuring charges are described in Note 13. Total costs incurred in connection with these restructuring programs by segment for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 Employee Other associated * Total net Depreciation Total Game & Network Services — — — — — Music 6,358 272 6,630 — 6,630 Pictures 2,922 — 2,922 — 2,922 Electronics Products & Solutions 3,384 118 3,502 0 3,502 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 28 — 28 — 28 Financial Services — — — — — All Other and Corporate 6,307 2,990 9,297 26 9,323 Total 18,999 3,380 22,379 26 22,405 Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 Employee Other associated * Total net Depreciation Total Game & Network Services — — — — — Music 2,991 201 3,192 — 3,192 Pictures 4,795 — 4,795 — 4,795 Electronics Products & Solutions 11,437 4,574 16,011 86 16,097 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — — — — — Financial Services — — — — — All Other and Corporate 5,226 3,781 9,007 — 9,007 Total 24,449 8,556 33,005 86 33,091 Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Employee Other associated * Total net Depreciation Total Game & Network Services — — — — — Music 3,179 6 3,185 — 3,185 Pictures 545 — 545 — 545 Electronics Products & Solutions 14,500 227 14,727 — 14,727 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — — — — — Financial Services — — — — — All Other and Corporate 4,733 1,520 6,253 256 6,509 Total 22,957 1,753 24,710 256 24,966 * Other associated costs includes non-cash Depreciation associated with restructured assets as used in the context of the disclosures regarding restructuring activities refers to the increase in depreciation expense caused by revising the useful life and the salvage value of depreciable fixed assets under an approved restructuring plan. Any impairment of the assets is recognized immediately in the period it is identified. Retirement programs Sony has undergone several headcount reduction programs to further reduce operating costs primarily in an effort to improve the performance of certain segments related to the EP&S segment and reduce cost at the headquarters function. Through measures including the realignment of its manufacturing sites, a review of its development and design structure, and the streamlining of its sales and administrative functions, Sony has continued to implement a company-wide (including headquarters) rationalization. Sony intends to reallocate and optimize its workforce through programs including work reassignments and outplacements. The employee termination benefits costs in the above table are included in selling, general and administrative in the consolidated statements of income. Music In an effort to optimize the organization and improve the performance of the Music segment, Sony has implemented a number of restructuring initiatives targeting operating effectiveness and cost reduction. These activities resulted in restructuring charges primarily consisting of headcount reductions totaling 6,630 million yen, 3,192 million yen and 3,185 million yen for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 , Pictures In an effort to optimize the organization and improve the performance of the Pictures segment, Sony has implemented a number of restructuring initiatives targeting operating effectiveness and cost reduction. These activities resulted in restructuring charges primarily consisting of headcount reductions totaling 4,795 million yen for the fiscal year ended March 31 , 201 9 . EP&S In an effort to improve the performance of each business, mainly the smartphone business in the EP&S segment, Sony has implemented a number of restructuring initiatives targeting profitability improvement. These activities resulted in restructuring charges primarily consisting of the closure and consolidation of manufacturing sites as well as sales offices overseas totaling 16,011 million yen and 14,727 million yen for the fiscal year s ,

Supplemental consolidated state

Supplemental consolidated statements of income information	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Supplemental consolidated statements of income information	21. Supplemental consolidated statements of income information (1) Other operating (income) expense, net Sony records transactions in other operating (income) Other operating (income) Yen in millions March 31 2018 2019 2020 Gain on sale of Sony City Osaki *1 (4,914 ) — — Gain on remeasurement of EMI shares *2 — (116,939 ) — Gain on remeasurement and sale of SRE shares *3 — — (17,266 ) Gain on remeasurement of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. shares *4 — — (1,827 ) (Gain) loss on purchase/sale of interests in subsidiaries and affiliates, net *5 (29,613 ) (1,557 ) (12,801 ) (Gain) loss on sale, disposal or impairment of assets, net *6 38,599 46,928 29,778 Other — — (1,495 ) 4,072 (71,568 ) (3,611 ) *1 A portion of gain on sale and leaseback transactions is deferred and is amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. *2 Refer to Notes 5 and 25. *3 Refer to Note 5. *4 Refer to Notes 5 and 25. *5 Refer to Notes 25 and 26. *6 Refer to Notes 9, 13, 20 and 26. (2) Research and development costs Research and development costs charged to cost of sales for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 458,518 million yen, 481,202 million yen and 499,290 million yen, respectively. (3) Advertising costs Advertising costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 407,106 million yen, 385,500 million yen and 359,458 million yen, respectively. (4) Shipping and handling costs Shipping and handling costs for finished goods included in selling, general and administrative expenses for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 46,252 million yen, 51,757 million yen and 46,196 million yen, respectively, which included the internal transportation costs of finished goods.

Income taxes

Income taxes	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income taxes	22. Income taxes Domestic and foreign components of income before income taxes and the provision for current and deferred income taxes attributable to such income are summarized as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Income before income taxes: Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan 436,494 310,020 466,253 Foreign subsidiaries 262,555 701,628 333,197 699,049 1,011,648 799,450 Income taxes—Current: Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan 69,697 82,081 105,755 Foreign subsidiaries 57,988 84,667 66,636 127,685 166,748 172,391 Income taxes—Deferred: Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan 29,640 17,907 9,421 Foreign subsidiaries (5,555 ) (139,557 ) (4,622 ) 24,085 (121,650 ) 4,799 Total income tax expense 151,770 45,098 177,190 A reconciliation of the differences between the Japanese statutory tax rate and the effective tax rate is as follows: Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Statutory tax rate 31.5 % 31.5 % 31.5 % Non-deductible 0.8 0.7 0.3 Income tax credits (0.6 ) (1.6 ) (1.7 ) Change in statutory tax rate and law (1.2 ) (0.3 ) (0.4 ) Change in valuation allowances (other than the 2019 reversal of Sony Americas Holding Inc. (“SAHI”) and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group below) (5.2 ) 2.3 (8.1 ) The 2019 reversal of valuation allowances of SAHI and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group — (15.3 ) — Change in deferred tax liabilities on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures (0.8 ) (0.1 ) 0.2 Lower tax rate applied to life and non-life (0.8 ) (0.5 ) (0.6 ) Foreign income tax differential (2.6 ) (6.4 ) (2.4 ) Adjustments to tax reserves (0.8 ) (0.3 ) 0.9 Effect of equity in net income of affiliated companies 0.0 0.0 0.0 The remeasurement gain for the equity interest in EMI — (2.4 ) — Japan controlled foreign company taxation — 0.0 5.3 Other 1.4 (3.1 ) (2.8 ) Effective income tax rate 21.7 % 4.5 % 22.2 % On December 22, 2017, the U.S. Tax Reform Act was signed into law, making significant changes to the U.S. tax rules. Changes include, but are not limited to, a corporate tax rate decrease from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning January 1, 2018 and the transition of U.S. international taxation from a worldwide tax system to a modified territorial system, with a one-time In addition to lowering the statutory corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, the U.S. Tax Reform Act also eliminated certain deductions, included new restrictions on the deduction for interest, introduced a new tax regime called the Base Erosion Anti-Abuse Tax or “BEAT”, and changed how foreign earnings of the U.S. group are subject to tax. The U.S. Tax Reform Act also enhanced and extended the option to claim accelerated depreciation and amortization deductions by allowing full expensing of qualified property, including film costs, through 2022. The U.S. Tax Reform Act also provided for beneficial treatment of certain income derived by a U.S. entity from outside the United States (referred to as Foreign Derived Intangible Income or “FDII”). The BEAT creates a minimum tax on multinational corporations by requiring companies subject to the BEAT to pay the greater of their regular tax liability (less certain credits, including foreign tax credits) or 10% for taxable years beginning in 2019 (6.25% for the . . . . is to th e Sony provides a valuation allowance for its deferred tax assets, which includes net operating losses, temporary differences and tax credits, when it is more likely than not that some portion, or all, of its deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income in the relevant tax jurisdiction. As of December 31, 2018, SAHI and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group has continued its profitable trend, primarily as a result of the G&NS segment and the Music segment. Based on an assessment of the available positive and negative evidence, in the quarter ended December 31, 2018, Sony reversed the valuation allowances established The significant components of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Deferred tax assets: Operating loss carryforwards for tax purposes 413,494 348,714 Accrued pension and severance costs 103,652 77,559 Amortization including film costs 86,196 65,349 Lease liability — 100,720 Warranty reserves and accrued expenses 108,515 116,234 Future insurance policy benefits 36,683 42,056 Inventory 19,716 15,512 Depreciation 34,638 39,085 Tax credit carryforwards 117,471 94,900 Loss on equity securities — 11,815 Reserve for doubtful accounts 9,136 9,090 Impairment of investments 12,278 6,029 Deferred revenue 19,081 24,420 Other 169,897 122,591 Gross deferred tax assets 1,130,757 1,074,074 Less: Valuation allowance (723,114 ) (608,243 ) Total deferred tax assets 407,643 465,831 Deferred tax liabilities: Insurance acquisition costs (169,244 ) (170,868 ) Future insurance policy benefits (181,052 ) (193,315 ) Unbilled accounts receivable in the Pictures segment (44,842 ) (26,214 ) Right-of-use assets — (96,970 ) Unrealized gains on securities (75,573 ) (92,791 ) Gain on equity securities (33,082 ) — Intangible assets acquired through stock exchange offerings (23,949 ) (23,949 ) Intangible assets derived from EMI Music Publishing acquisition (93,979 ) (89,909 ) Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures (15,758 ) (25,359 ) Investment in M3 (37,007 ) (38,303 ) Other (62,092 ) (47,319 ) Gross deferred tax liabilities (736,578 ) (804,997 ) Net deferred tax liabilities (328,935 ) (339,166 ) Based on the weight of the available positive and negative evidence, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony continued to maintain valuation allowances against the deferred tax assets at Sony Corporation and its national tax filing group in Japan, as well as at Sony Mobile Communications in Sweden, Sony Europe B.V. in the United Kingdom, certain subsidiaries in Brazil, and certain subsidiaries in other tax jurisdictions. Valuation allowances also continue to be established on the remaining U.S. deferred tax assets, primarily foreign tax credits and certain research and development credits. Sony Corporation and its national tax filing group in Japan established a of 274,761 million yen relating to national tax and 125,465 million yen relating to local tax. For the deferred tax assets related to national tax in Sony Corporation and its national tax filing group in Japan, the valuation allowance is still established except for the amounts expected to be offset with taxable temporary differences as of March 31, 2020. Due to the uncertainty of the forecast of future income impacted by the spread of COVID-19 from early 2020, the valuation allowance established against the net deferred tax assets that are attributable to Sony Corporation and its national tax filing group in Japan was not reversed, even partially, in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 despite several years of profitability. The net changes in the total valuation allowance were decreases of 152,129 million yen, 176,721 million yen and 114,871 million yen for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. The decrease in the valuation allowances during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 was primarily due to the use of net operating loss carryforwards and other deferred tax assets for both the national tax filing group in Japan and the consolidated tax filing group in the United States. The U.S. deferred tax assets were also reduced as a result of the reduction in the tax rate under the U.S. Tax Reform Act which had a corresponding reduction of the valuation allowance on those assets. In addition, valuation allowances were reversed in several jurisdictions, including France and Canada, as a result of sustained profitability. The decrease in the valuation allowances during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 was due to the reversal of the valuation allowances on significant deferred tax assets in SAHI and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group and the use of net operating loss carryforwards and other deferred tax assets in the national tax filing group in Japan and other jurisdictions. The decrease in the valuation allowances during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 was due to the use of net operating loss carryforwards and other deferred tax assets in the national tax filing group in Japan and the use of foreign tax credits and certain research and development credits in the consolidated tax filing group in the United States. At March 31, 2020, 16,312 million yen of deferred income taxes have not been provided on undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures not expected to be remitted in the foreseeable future totaling 1,019,525 million yen. In addition, deferred income taxes have not been provided on the gain on the book/tax basis difference in subsidiaries, including a gain of 61,544 million yen on a subsidiary’s sale of stock arising from the issuance of common stock of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. in a public offering to third parties in November 1991 and the remeasurement gain for the equity interest in EMI (Refer to Note 25). Sony does not anticipate any significant tax consequences on the possible future disposition of these investments based on its tax planning strategies. At March 31, 2020, Sony had net operating loss carryforwards, the tax effect of which totaled 348,714 million yen, which may be available as an offset against future taxable income on tax returns to be filed in various tax jurisdictions. With the exception of 96,890 million yen with no expiration period, substantially all of the total net operating loss carryforwards expire at various dates between the fiscal years ending March 31, 2021 and 2024 Tax credit carryforwards at March 31, 2020 amounted to 94,900 million yen. With the exception of 15,059 million yen with no expiration period, substantially all of the total available tax credit carryforwards expire at various dates between the fiscal years ending March 31, 2021 and 2030 A reconciliation of the beginning and ending gross amounts of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2018 2019 2020 Balance at beginning of the fiscal year 119,529 95,425 50,577 Reductions for tax positions of prior years (8,809 ) (31,396 ) (331 ) Additions for tax positions of prior years 4,681 3,094 162 Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 5,740 2,594 8,074 Settlements (21,893 ) (4,235 ) (13,240 ) Lapse in statute of limitations (3,469 ) (14,824 ) (1,251 ) Foreign currency translation adjustments (354 ) (81 ) (2,723 ) Balance at end of the fiscal year 95,425 50,577 41,268 Total net amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate 39,308 35,004 29,539 The major changes in the total gross amount of unrecognized tax benefit balances relate to transfer pricing adjustments, including as a result of the Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (“APAs”) and competent authority requests filed for certain subsidiaries in the G&NS, EP&S and I&SS segments and All Other, with respect to the intercompany cross-border transactions. The APAs include agreements between Sony and two taxing authorities under the authority of the mutual agreement procedure specified in income tax treaties. Sony reviews its estimated tax expense based on the progress made in these procedures, and the progress of transfer pricing audits generally, and makes adjustments to its estimates as necessary. In addition, the APAs are government to government negotiations, and therefore it is possible that the final outcomes of the agreements may differ from Sony’s current assessment of the more-likely-than-not During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, Sony recorded 1,053 million yen of interest expense and 876 million yen of penalties. At March 31, 2018, Sony had recorded liabilities of 10,788 million yen and 4,637 million yen for the payments of interest and penalties, respectively. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, Sony reversed 1,479 million yen of interest expense and recorded 218 million yen of penalties. At March 31, 2019, Sony had recorded liabilities of 9,309 million yen and 4,855 million yen for the payments of interest and penalties, respectively. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony re versed corded Sony operates in multiple jurisdictions throughout the world, and its tax returns are periodically audited by Japanese and foreign taxing authorities. As a result of audit settlements, the conclusion of current examinations, the expiration of the statute of limitations in several jurisdictions and other reevaluations of Sony’s tax positions, it is expected that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next twelve months. Accordingly, Sony believes it is reasonably possible that its existing unrecognized tax benefits may be reduced by an amount up to 1,791 million yen within the next twelve months. Sony remains subject to examinations by Japanese taxing authorities for tax years from 2010 through 2019, and by the U.S. tax authorities for tax years from

Reconciliation of the differenc

Reconciliation of the differences between basic and diluted EPS	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Reconciliation of the differences between basic and diluted EPS	23. Reconciliation of the differences between basic and diluted EPS Reconciliation of the differences between basic and diluted EPS for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 is as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders for basic and diluted EPS computation 490,794 916,271 582,191 Thousands of shares Weighted-average shares outstanding 1,263,895 1,266,592 1,234,408 Effect of dilutive securities: Stock acquisition rights 4,565 4,088 3,853 Zero coupon convertible bonds 23,960 23,966 23,994 Weighted-average shares for diluted EPS computation 1,292,420 1,294,646 1,262,255 Yen Basic EPS 388.32 723.41 471.64 Diluted EPS 379.75 707.74 461.23 Potential shares of common stock which were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 2,921 thousand shares, 5,731 thousand shares and 3,212 thousand shares, respectively. Potential shares related to stock acquisition rights were excluded as anti-dilutive for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 when the exercise price for those shares was in excess of the average market value of Sony’s common stock for those fiscal years. The zero coupon convertible bonds issued in July 2015 were included in the diluted EPS calculation under the if-converted

Variable interest entities

Variable interest entities	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Variable interest entities	24. Variable interest entities Sony has entered into various arrangements with VIEs. (1 ) Consolidated VIEs Sony’s U.S. subsidiary that is engaged in the recorded music business has entered into several joint ventures with companies involved in the production and creation of recorded music. Sony has reviewed these joint ventures and determined that they are VIEs. Based on a qualitative assessment, it was determined that Sony has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIEs’ economic performance, as well as the obligation to absorb the losses of these VIEs as Sony is responsible for providing funding to these VIEs, and in most cases absorbs all losses until the VIEs become profitable. As a result, it has been determined that Sony is the primary beneficiary and, accordingly, these VIEs are consolidated by Sony. The assets of Sony are not available to settle the obligations of these VIEs. As of March 31, 2020, the total assets and liabilities for these VIEs, on an aggregate basis, were 46,154 million yen and 25,100 million yen, respectively. (2) Unconsolidated VIEs As described in Note 6, certain accounts receivable sales programs also involve VIEs. These VIEs are all special purpose entities associated with the sponsor banks. Based on a qualitative assessment, Sony is not the primary beneficiary and therefore does not consolidate these entities as Sony does not have the power to direct the activities, an obligation to absorb losses, or the right to receive the residual returns of these VIEs. Sony’s maximum exposure to losses from these VIEs is considered insignificant. In the Financial Services segment, Sony has variable interests in VIEs where Sony is not the primary beneficiary. Sony’s variable interests in such VIEs include equity securities, securitized products, foreign corporate bonds and other investments. The following tables present the carrying value of the variable interests of unconsolidated VIEs, the presentation in the consolidated balance sheet, and the maximum exposure to loss associated with these variable interests as of March 31, 2019 and 2020. Maximum exposure to loss does not reflect Sony’s estimate of the actual losses that could result from adverse changes, nor does it reflect the economic hedges Sony enters into to reduce its exposure. The risks associated with VIEs in which Sony is involved are limited to the amount recorded in the consolidated balance sheets and the amount of commitments. Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Presentation in the consolidated balance Maximum Marketable securities Securities investments and other Prepaid expenses and other current assets Equity securities *1 135,552 8,485 — 146,031 Securitized products — 191,049 — 195,190 Foreign corporate bonds *2 29,889 65,503 — 95,392 Other investments — 4,688 21,000 25,688 Total 165,441 269,725 21,000 462,301 Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Presentation in the consolidated balance Maximum Marketable securities Securities investments and other Prepaid expenses and other current assets Equity securities *1 579,773 6,229 — 587,602 Securitized products — 210,641 — 210,641 Foreign corporate bonds *2 41,452 41,036 — 82,488 Other investments — 16,253 21,000 43,719 Total 621,225 274,159 21,000 924,450 *1 Equity securities include Investment funds. *2 Foreign corporate bonds include repackaged bonds.

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	25. Acquisitions (1) EMI Music Publishing acquisition On November 14, 2018, Sony Corporation of America, Sony’s wholly-owned subsidiary, completed the acquisition of the entirety of the approximately 60% equity interest held by the investor consortium led by the Mubadala Investment Company in DH Publishing, L.P. (“EMI”), which owned and managed EMI Music Publishing, for the equity purchase price of 257,168 million yen (2,269 million U.S. dollars), which includes payments related to warrants and management equity plans. Sony paid all the consideration in cash upon the acquisition. As a result of this acquisition, EMI has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony. This acquisition allows Sony to build upon its music publishing library by providing the Company with full ownership of the EMI Music Publishing catalog which was being administered by Sony’s wholly-owned music publishing subsidiary, Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Sony’s consolidated income statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 include revenue and operating income of 28,871 million yen (260 million U.S. dollars) and 6,432 million yen (58 million U.S. dollars), respectively, attributable to EMI since the date of acquisition. Sony’s consolidated income statements for the three months ended March 31, 2019 include revenue and operating income of 18,420 million yen (167 million U.S. dollars) and 4,522 million yen (41 million U.S. dollars), respectively, attributable to EMI. Prior to the acquisition, Sony’s interest in EMI was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. As a result of Sony obtaining a controlling interest in EMI, Sony consolidated EMI using the acquisition method of accounting and recorded the fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities assumed and residual goodwill of EMI. Sony remeasured the approximately 40% equity interest in EMI that Sony already owned prior to the acquisition at a fair value of 141,141 million yen (1,245 million U.S. dollars) which resulted in the recognition of a non-cash The following table summarizes the preliminary and final fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities of EMI that were recorded in the Music segment. Certain areas of the purchase price allocation were not yet finalized as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, including the valuation of income taxes and residual goodwill. Yen in millions Acquired assets (Preliminary) Measurement Acquired assets (Final) Cash and cash equivalents 12,971 12,971 Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets 32,287 32,287 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 10,220 (98 ) 10,122 Securities investments and other 1,476 1,476 Intangibles, net 420,534 420,534 Goodwill 237,271 (1,206 ) 236,065 Other 10,023 10,023 Total assets 724,782 (1,304 ) 723,478 Notes and accounts payable, trade 1,731 1,731 Accounts payable, other and accrued expenses 70,675 70,675 Accrued income and other taxes 3,082 (69 ) 3,013 Long-term debt 148,621 148,621 Accrued pension and severance costs 1,947 1,947 Deferred income taxes 94,849 (1,235 ) 93,614 Other 5,564 5,564 Total liabilities 326,469 (1,304 ) 325,165 Intangibles mainly consists of music publishing catalogs with weighted average amortization periods of 43 years. Goodwill represents unidentifiable intangible assets, such as future growth from new revenue streams and synergies with existing Sony assets and businesses, and is calculated as the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of the tangible and intangible assets acquired and is not deductible for tax purposes. The goodwill recorded in connection with this acquisition is included in the Music segment. The following unaudited supplemental pro forma financial information presents the combined results of operations of Sony and EMI as though the acquisition had occurred as of the beginning of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018: Yen in millions, Yen per share amounts Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 Net sales 8,612,280 8,738,209 Operating income 854,786 801,973 Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders 584,019 817,629 Per share data: — Basic EPS 462.08 645.53 — Diluted EPS 451.88 631.55 The unaudited supplemental pro forma financial information is based on estimates and assumptions, which Sony believes are reasonable, and is not intended to represent or be indicative of what Sony’s consolidated net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders would have been had the acquisition been completed at the beginning of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 and should not be taken as indicative of Sony’s future consolidated net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders. The unaudited supplemental pro forma financial information includes the elimination of equity in net income and consolidation of EMI, the adjustment of the gain from the remeasurement of the previously owned equity interest, incremental intangible asset amortization, net of the related tax effects and the adjustments of expenses incurred in relation to warrants and management equity plans. (2) Insomniac Games, Inc. acquisition On November 15, 2019, Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary in the G&NS segment of Sony, completed the acquisition of Insomniac Games, Inc. (“Insomniac Games”), a game developer. The consideration for this acquisition of 24,895 million yen (229 million U.S. dollars) was mainly paid in cash. As a result of this acquisition, Insomniac Games has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony. As a result of this acquisition, Sony recorded 17,945 million yen (164 million U.S. dollars) of goodwill and 6,794 million yen (62 million U.S. dollars) of intangible assets. The cash consideration paid in this transaction, net of cash received, is included within Other in the investing activities section of the consolidated statements of cash flows. Pro forma results of operations have not been presented because the effect of the acquisition was not material. (3) Silvergate Media acquisition On December 9, 2019, Sony, through a wholly-owned subsidiary in the Pictures segment, acquired Silvergate Media Group (“Silvergate”), a company focused on developing, producing and licensing children’s animation. The consideration for this acquisition of 21,017 million yen (192 million U.S. dollars) was paid in cash. As a result of this acquisition, Sony owns (1) 100% of Silvergate Topco Limited, which holds all assets of Silvergate other than certain rights held by Silvergate BP Bidco Limited, and (2) 31% of Silvergate BP Bidco Limited, the entity through which Silvergate produces its Peter Rabbit television series, and Sony recorded 11,431 million yen (106 million U.S. dollars) of goodwill and 3,387 million yen (32 million U.S. dollars) of intangible assets. The cash consideration paid in this transaction, net of cash received, is included within Other in the investing activities section of the consolidated statements of cash flows. Pro forma results of operations have not been presented because the effect of the acquisition was not material. (4) Acquisition of equity interests in joint ventures in the life insurance business On January 29, 2020, Sony Life, Sony’s consolidated subsidiary, acquired 50% of the shares of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. (collectively, the “JVs”) from AEGON International B.V. The purchase price for the acquisition was 18,750 million yen and Sony Life paid all the consideration in cash upon the acquisition. As a result of this acquisition, Sony Life owns 100% of the shares of the JVs and the JVs have become consolidated subsidiaries of Sony. Sony Life will endeavor to make use of the strength and know-how as of Prior to the acquisition, Sony’s interest in the JVs was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. As a result of Sony obtaining a controlling interest in the JVs, Sony consolidated the JVs using the acquisition method of accounting and recorded the fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities assumed and residual goodwill of the JVs. Sony remeasured equity interest in the JVs that Sony already owned prior to the acquisition at a fair value million yen which resulted in the recognition of a non-cash million yen recorded in other operating income, net. Sony did not record any tax expense or deferred tax liability corresponding to this gain. The following table summarizes the fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities of the JVs that were recorded in the Financial Services segment. Yen in millions Cash and cash equivalents 27,380 Marketable securities 530,851 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 21,933 Securities investments and other 15,329 Goodwill 3,609 Other 406 Total assets 599,508 Future insurance policy benefits and other 66,599 Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business 495,248 Other 4,979 Total liabilities 566,826 Goodwill represents the expected improvement of profitability due to business integration with Sony Life and operational efficiency, and is calculated as the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of the tangible and intangible assets acquired and is not deductible for tax purposes. The goodwill recorded in connection with this acquisition is included in the Financial Services segment. Pro forma results of operations have not been presented because the effect of the acquisition was not material. (5) Other acquisitions During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, Sony completed other acquisitions for total consideration of 27,459 million yen which were paid for primarily in cash and there was no material contingent consideration subject to future change. As a result of these acquisitions, Sony recorded 20,013 million yen of goodwill and 4,980 million yen of intangible assets. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, Sony completed other acquisitions for total consideration of 7,743 million yen which were paid for primarily in cash and there was no material contingent consideration subject to future change. As a result of these acquisitions, Sony recorded 5,773 million yen of goodwill and 4,422 million yen of intangible assets. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony completed other acquisitions for total consideration of 6,853 million yen which were paid for primarily in cash and there was no material contingent consideration subject to future change. As a result of these acquisitions, Sony recorded 6,778 million yen of goodwill and 2,301 million yen of intangible assets. No significant amounts have been allocated to in-process

Divestitures

Divestitures	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Divestitures	26. Divestitures Sale of equity interest in Sony Electronics Huanan Co., Ltd. On April 1, 2017, Sony transferred all of the equity interest in Sony Electronics Huanan Co., Ltd. (“SEH”), a wholly-owned subsidiary in the I&SS segment that manufactures camera modules, to Shen Zhen O-Film

Collaborative arrangements

Collaborative arrangements	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Collaborative arrangements	27. Collaborative arrangements Sony’s collaborative arrangements primarily relate to arrangements entered into, through subsidiaries in the Pictures segment, with one or more active participants to jointly finance, produce and/or distribute motion pictures or television programming under which both the subsidiaries and the other active participants share in the risks and rewards of ownership. These arrangements are referred to as co-production Sony typically records an asset for only the portion of the motion pictures or television programming it owns and finances. Sony and the other participants typically distribute the product in different media or markets. Revenues earned and expenses incurred for the media or markets in which Sony distributes the product are typically recorded on a gross basis. Sony typically does not record revenues earned and expenses incurred when the other participants distribute the product. Sony and the other participants typically share in the profits from the distribution of the product in all media or markets. For motion pictures, if Sony is a net receiver of (1) Sony’s share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by the other participants less (2) the other participants’ share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by Sony then the net amount is recorded as net sales. If Sony is a net payer then the net amount is recorded in cost of sales. For television programming, Sony records its share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by the other participants as sales, and the other participants’ share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by Sony as cost of sales. For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020, 49,547 million yen, 42,343 million yen and 33,921 million yen, respectively, were recorded as net sales for amounts due from the other participants and 24,280 million yen, 22,702 million yen and 21,052 million yen, respectively, were recorded as cost of sales for amounts owed to the other participants in these collaborative arrangements.

Commitments, contingent liabili

Commitments, contingent liabilities and other	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments, contingent liabilities and other	28. Commitments, contingent liabilities and other (1) Loan commitments Subsidiaries in the Financial Services segment have entered into loan agreements with their customers in accordance with the condition of the contracts. As of March 31, 2020, the total unused portion of the lines of credit extended under these contracts was 34,306 million yen. Based upon the information currently available, it is not possible to estimate the aggregate amounts of future year-by-year (2) Purchase commitments and other Purchase commitments and other outstanding as of March 31, 2020 amounted to 684,911 million yen. The major components of these commitments are as follows: Certain subsidiaries in the Pictures segment have entered into agreements with creative talent for the development and production of motion pictures and television programming as well as agreements with third parties to acquire completed motion pictures, or certain rights therein, and to acquire the rights to broadcast certain live action sporting events. These agreements cover various periods mainly within three years. As of March 31, 2020, these subsidiaries were committed to make payments under such contracts of 126,917 million yen. Certain subsidiaries in the Music segment have entered into contracts with recording artists, songwriters and companies for the future production, distribution and/or licensing of music product. These contracts cover various periods mainly within five years. As of March 31, 2020, these subsidiaries were committed to make payments of 128,678 million yen under such contracts. Certain subsidiaries in the G&NS segment have entered into long-term contracts for the development, distribution and publishing of game software. These contracts cover various periods mainly within eight years. As of March 31, 2020, these subsidiaries were committed to make payments of 29,243 million yen under such contracts. Sony has entered into purchase contracts for fixed assets. As of March 31, 2020, Sony has committed to make payments of 199,145 million yen under such contracts. Sony has entered into purchase contracts for materials. As of March 31, 2020, Sony has committed to make payments of 115,670 million yen under such contracts. Sony has entered into sponsorship contracts related to advertising and promotional rights. These contracts cover various periods mainly within one year. As of March 31, 2020, Sony has committed to make payments of 5,162 million yen under such contracts. The schedule of the aggregate amounts of year-by-year Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2021 378,319 2022 103,033 2023 76,541 2024 49,549 2025 36,936 Later fiscal years 40,533 Total 684,911 (3) Litigation Beginning in 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”), the European Commission and certain other governmental agencies outside the United States have conducted investigations relating to competition in the optical disk drives market. Sony Corporation and/or certain of its subsidiaries have been subject to these investigations. Sony Corporation Corporation Corporation Since 2011, in relation to the secondary batteries business that was operated by Sony Corporation In addition, Sony Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries are defendants or otherwise involved in other pending legal and regulatory proceedings. However, based upon the information currently available, Sony believes that the outcome from such legal and regulatory proceedings would not have a material impact on Sony’s results of operations and financial position. (4) Guarantees Sony has issued guarantees that contingently require payments to guaranteed parties if certain specified events or conditions occur. The maximum potential amount of future payments under these guarantees as of March 31, 2020 amounted to 2,214 million yen. In addition to the above, Sony also issues contractual product warranties under which it generally guarantees the performance of products delivered and services rendered for a certain period or term. The changes in the product warranty liability for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Balance at beginning of the fiscal year 57,694 44,717 33,005 Additional liabilities for warranties 32,179 23,041 21,448 Settlements (in cash or in kind) (30,570 ) (26,326 ) (21,491 ) Changes in estimate for pre-existing (16,802 ) (7,370 ) (562 ) Translation adjustments 2,216 (1,057 ) (593 ) Balance at end of the fiscal year 44,717 33,005 31,807 The consideration received for extended warranty service, which is not a significant portion of the warranty activities provided by Sony, is excluded from the amounts in the table above.

Business segment information

Business segment information	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Business segment information	29. Business segment information The reportable segments presented below are the segments of Sony for which separate financial information is available and for which operating profit or loss amounts are evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The CODM does not evaluate segments using discrete asset information. Sony’s CODM is its Chief Executive Officer and President. Sony realigned its business segments from the first quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 to reflect modifications to the organizational structure of certain segments and a change in the Senior Executives in charge of certain segments as of April 1, 2019. In connection with this decision, the former Home Entertainment & Sound, Imaging Products & Solutions and Mobile Communications segments have been realigned as the EP&S segment. In connection with this realignment, the sales and operating revenue and operating income (loss) of each segment for the comparative periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. In addition, the former Semiconductors segment has been renamed the I&SS segment effective from the first quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31, 20 20. The G&NS segment includes network services businesses, the manufacture and sales of home gaming products and production and sales of software. The Music segment includes the Recorded Music, Music Publishing and Visual Media and Platform businesses. The Pictures segment includes the Motion Pictures, Television Productions and Media Networks businesses. The non-life Segment sales and operating revenue: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales and operating revenue: Game & Network Services — Customers 1,848,298 2,224,622 1,919,760 Intersegment 95,514 86,250 57,791 Total 1,943,812 2,310,872 1,977,551 Music — Customers 784,792 795,025 838,592 Intersegment 15,203 12,464 11,317 Total 799,995 807,489 849,909 Pictures — Customers 1,010,173 985,270 1,010,714 Intersegment 894 1,603 1,140 Total 1,011,067 986,873 1,011,854 Electronics Products & Solutions — Customers 2,582,813 2,303,167 1,969,880 Intersegment 17,542 17,461 21,388 Total 2,600,355 2,320,628 1,991,268 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — Customers 726,892 770,622 985,259 Intersegment 123,118 108,708 85,317 Total 850,010 879,330 1,070,576 Financial Services — Customers 1,221,235 1,274,708 1,299,847 Intersegment 7,142 7,831 7,901 Total 1,228,377 1,282,539 1,307,748 All Other — Customers 351,527 299,806 214,999 Intersegment 55,647 45,931 36,421 Total 407,174 345,737 251,420 Corporate and elimination (296,808 ) (267,781 ) (200,441 ) Consolidated total 8,543,982 8,665,687 8,259,885 G&NS intersegment amounts primarily consist of transactions with All Other. I&SS intersegment amounts primarily consist of transactions with the G&NS segment and the EP&S segment. All Other intersegment amounts primarily consist of transactions with the G&NS segment, the Music segment and the Pictures segment. Corporate and elimination includes certain brand and patent royalty income. Segment profit or loss: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Operating income (loss): Game & Network Services 177,478 311,092 238,400 Music 127,786 232,487 142,345 Pictures 41,110 54,599 68,157 Electronics Products & Solutions 133,129 76,508 87,276 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 164,023 143,874 235,584 Financial Services 178,947 161,477 129,597 All Other (23,530 ) (11,127 ) 16,288 Total 798,943 968,910 917,647 Corporate and elimination (64,083 ) (74,675 ) (72,188 ) Consolidated operating income 734,860 894,235 845,459 Other income 23,728 144,735 21,949 Other expenses (59,539 ) (27,322 ) (67,958 ) Consolidated income before income taxes 699,049 1,011,648 799,450 Operating income (loss) is sales and operating revenue less costs and expenses, and includes equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies. Corporate and elimination includes headquarters restructuring costs and certain other corporate expenses, including the amortization of certain intellectual property assets such as the cross-licensing of intangible assets acquired from Ericsson at the time of the Sony Mobile Communications acquisition, which are not allocated to segments. Other significant items: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies: Game & Network Services — — — Music 4,483 (6,915 ) 4,239 Pictures (129 ) 106 (629 ) Electronics Products & Solutions (102 ) (38 ) 136 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — — 0 Financial Services (61 ) (682 ) (104 ) All Other 4,378 4,530 5,995 Consolidated total 8,569 (2,999 ) 9,637 Depreciation and amortization: Game & Network Services 29,091 29,023 29,135 Music 18,230 21,259 29,137 Pictures 24,458 24,081 21,665 Electronics Products & Solutions 64,279 61,749 63,291 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 99,258 110,746 134,035 Financial Services, including deferred insurance acquisition costs 79,843 91,179 106,667 All Other 5,910 4,940 5,095 Total 321,069 342,977 389,025 Corporate 40,375 31,049 27,617 Consolidated total 361,444 374,026 416,642 The following table is a breakdown of sales and operating revenue to external customers by product category for each segment. Sony management views each segment as a single operating segment. Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales and operating revenue: Game & Network Services Digital Software and Add-on 762,220 1,102,231 1,010,296 Network Services 270,972 326,524 337,265 Hardware and Others 815,106 795,867 572,199 Total 1,848,298 2,224,622 1,919,760 Music Recorded Music — Streaming 197,439 227,513 276,039 Recorded Music — Others 249,521 199,413 191,114 Music Publishing 74,360 106,666 157,478 Visual Media and Platform 263,472 261,433 213,961 Total 784,792 795,025 838,592 Pictures Motion Pictures 448,945 436,017 475,061 Television Productions 289,024 288,816 301,224 Media Networks 272,204 260,437 234,429 Total 1,010,173 985,270 1,010,714 Electronics Products & Solutions Televisions 861,763 788,423 646,513 Audio and Video 357,194 362,580 346,060 Still and Video Cameras 415,318 421,506 384,142 Mobile Communications 713,916 487,330 362,144 Other 234,622 243,328 231,021 Total 2,582,813 2,303,167 1,969,880 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 726,892 770,622 985,259 Financial Services 1,221,235 1,274,708 1,299,847 All Other 351,527 299,806 214,999 Corporate 18,252 12,467 20,834 Consolidated total 8,543,982 8,665,687 8,259,885 Sony has realigned its product category configuration in regard to the new EP&S segment from the first quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. Sony has also realigned its product category configuration in the Music segment with more detailed breakdown in Recorded Music from the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. In connection with these realignments, all prior period sales amounts by product category in the table above have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. In the G&NS segment, Digital Software and Add-on add-on Blu-ray players and recorders, home audio, headphones and memory-based portable audio devices; Still and Video Cameras includes interchangeable lens cameras, compact digital cameras, consumer video cameras and video cameras for broadcast; Mobile Communications includes smartphones and an internet-related service business; Other includes display products such as projectors and medical equipment. Within the EP&S segment, the operating loss of Mobile Communications for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was (27,636) million yen, (97,136) million yen and (21,057) million yen, respectively. Geographic Information: Sales and operating revenue attributed to countries and areas based on location of external customers for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 and property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets as of March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales and operating revenue: Japan 2,625,619 2,591,784 2,472,479 United States 1,835,705 1,982,135 1,864,390 Europe 1,841,457 1,862,166 1,697,791 China 674,718 770,416 845,235 Asia-Pacific 1,024,179 912,193 892,026 Other Areas 542,304 546,993 487,964 Total 8,543,982 8,665,687 8,259,885 Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets*: Japan 590,694 946,922 United States 113,581 214,226 Europe 22,622 67,799 China 11,694 17,996 Asia-Pacific 34,273 46,932 Other Areas 4,189 7,379 Total 777,053 1,301,254 * As of March 31, 2020, the amounts include operating lease right-of-use assets, which were recognized from April 1, 2019 onward as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-02. Major countries and areas in each geographic segment excluding Japan, United States and China are as follows: (1) Europe: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, Spain and Sweden (2) Asia-Pacific: India, South Korea, Oceania, Thailand and Malaysia (3) Other Areas: The Middle East/Africa, Brazil, Mexico and Canada There are no individually material countries with respect to sales and operating revenue or property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets included in Europe, Asia-Pacific and Other Areas. Transfers between reportable business segments or geographic areas are made at individually negotiated prices that are intended to reflect a market-based transfer price. There were no sales and operating revenue with any single major external customer for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Subsequent events

Subsequent events	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent events	30. Subsequent events Tender Offer for Common Shares and Stock Acquisition Rights of Sony Financial Holdings Inc. In order to achieve further growth and strengthen governance within its financial services business with the goal of enhancing the corporate value of the overall Sony Group, Sony Corporation resolved, at the meeting of its Board of Directors held on May 19, 2020, to offer to acquire the common shares of Sony Financial Holdings Inc. (“SFH”), a consolidated subsidiary of Sony Corporation, and the related stock acquisition rights through a tender offer (“Tender Offer”), with the aim of making SFH a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, and Sony Corporation commenced the Tender Offer on May 20, 2020. As of May 19, 2020, Sony Corporation held 283,050,000 (Share Holding Ratio: approximately 65%) of SFH’s common shares. If all the SFH shareholders, excluding Sony Corporation, and all the holders of the stock acquisition rights tender their shares and stock acquisition rights to Sony Corporation in the Tender Offer, the total purchase price to be paid by Sony Corporation will be approximately 395,538 million yen. <Overview of Tender Offer> 1. Shares and Stock Acquisition Rights to be purchased: Common shares (excluding SFH’s common shares owned by Sony Corporation and the treasury shares owned by SFH) and the related stock acquisition rights 2. Period: From May 20, 2020 through July 13, 2020 3. Price: 2,600 yen per common share 259,900 yen per unit of stock acquisition right 4. Number of Shares to be purchased (including the number of shares subject to stock acquisition rights): 152,130,036 shares Under the terms of the Tender Offer, the minimum number of shares to be purchased is 7,070,000 shares. If the aggregate number of shares (including shares subject to stock acquisition rights) tendered to Sony Corporation in the Tender Offer is less than the minimum number of shares to be purchased (7,070,000 shares), Sony Corporation will not purchase any of the tendered common shares or

SCHEDULE II VALUATION AND QUALI

SCHEDULE II VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]
SCHEDULE II VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS	Yen in millions Balance Beginning (Note 3) Additions Deductions Other Balance at end of period Fiscal year ended March 31, 2018: Allowance for doubtful accounts and sales returns 53,150 — 45,515 (51,302 ) 1,300 48,663 Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019: Allowance for doubtful accounts 48,663 (25,114 ) 7,112 (5,532 ) 311 25,440 Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020: Allowance for doubtful accounts 25,440 — 9,006 (6,908 ) (1,665 ) 25,873 Notes: 1. Reversal including amounts written off. 2. Translation adjustments. 3. Sony adopted ASU 2014-09 from April 1, 2018, and as a result, sales returns are presented as a liability instead of as a contra-asset allowance. Accordingly, Sony changed the presentation from “Allowance for doubtful accounts and sales returns” to “Allowance for doubtful accounts” for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020. Yen in millions Balance Additions Deductions Other Balance at end of period Fiscal year ended March 31, 2018: Valuation allowance — Deferred tax assets 1,051,964 70,797 (123,597 ) (99,329 ) 899,835 Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019: Valuation allowance — Deferred tax assets 899,835 116,938 (309,226 ) 15,567 723,114 Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020: Valuation allowance — Deferred tax assets 723,114 53,245 (161,547 ) (6,569 ) 608,243 Note: 1. Translation adjustments and the effect of change in statutory tax rate.

Summary of significant accoun_2

Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of consolidation and accounting for investments in affiliated companies	Basis of consolidation and accounting for investments in affiliated companies - The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sony Corporation and its majority-owned subsidiary companies, general partnerships and other entities in which Sony has a controlling interest, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which Sony is the primary beneficiary. All intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated. Investments in business entities in which Sony does not have control, but has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies, generally through 20-50% 3-5% On occasion, a consolidated subsidiary or an affiliated company accounted for by the equity method may issue its shares to third parties in either a public or private offering or upon conversion of convertible debt to common stock at amounts per share in excess of or less than Sony’s average per share carrying value. With respect to such transactions, the resulting gains or losses arising from the change in ownership interest are recorded in earnings within the fiscal year in which the change in interest transactions occurs. Gains or losses that result from a loss of a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary are recorded in earnings along with fair value remeasurement gains or losses on any retained investment in the entity, while a change in interest in The excess of the cost over the underlying net equity of investments in consolidated subsidiaries and affiliated companies accounted for on an equity basis is allocated to identifiable tangible and intangible assets and liabilities based on fair values at the date of acquisition. The unassigned residual value of the excess of the cost over Sony’s underlying net equity is recognized as goodwill as a component of the investment balance.
Use of estimates	Use of estimates - The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates include those used in determining the valuation of investment securities, valuation of inventories, fair values of long-lived assets, fair values of goodwill and other intangible assets, fair values of assets and liabilities assumed in business combinations, product warranty liability, pension and severance plans, valuation of deferred tax assets, uncertain tax positions, film costs, and insurance related liabilities. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimates. The timing and extent to which the spread of COVID-19 may negatively impact Sony’s business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain. This uncertainty could result in greater variability in accounting estimates and assumptions, including, but not limited to, those used in reviewing goodwill and long-lived assets for impairment and the valuation of deferred tax assets.
Translation of foreign currencies	Translation of foreign currencies - All asset and liability accounts of foreign subsidiaries and affiliates are translated into Japanese yen at appropriate fiscal year end exchange rates and all income and expense accounts are translated at exchange rates that approximate those rates prevailing at the time of the transactions. The resulting translation adjustments are accumulated as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Upon remeasurement of a previously held equity interest in accordance with the accounting guidance for business combinations achieved in stages, accumulated translation adjustments, if any, are included in earnings. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at appropriate fiscal year end exchange rates and the resulting translation gains or losses are recognized into income.
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid investments, with original maturities of three months or less, that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and are so near maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Sony includes restricted cash within cash and cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows.
Marketable debt and equity securities	Marketable debt and equity securities Debt securities designated as available-for-sale unrealized held-to-maturity available-for-sale held-to-maturity Sony regularly evaluates its investment portfolio to identify other-than-temporary impairments of individual debt securities. Factors that are considered by Sony in determining whether an other-than-temporary decline in value has occurred include: the length of time and extent to which the market value of the security has been less than its original cost, the financial condition, operating results, business plans and estimated future cash flows of the issuer of the security, other specific factors affecting the market value, deterioration of the credit condition of the issuer, sovereign risk, and whether or not Sony is able to retain the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for the anticipated recovery in market value. In evaluating the factors for debt securities designated as available-for-sale, is temporary in nature due to the existence of other factors which overcome the duration or magnitude of the decline. On the other hand, there may be cases where impairment losses are recognized when the decline in the fair value of the security is not more than 20 percent or such decline has not existed for an extended period of time, as a result of considering specific factors which may indicate that the decline in the fair value is other-than-temporary. When an other-than-temporary impairment of a held-to-maturity
Equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values	Equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values - Equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values are measured at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. If the value of equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values is estimated to have declined and such decline is judged to be other-than-temporary, Sony recognizes the impairment of the investment and the carrying value is reduced to its fair value. Determination of impairment is based on the consideration of several factors, including operating results, business plans and estimated future cash flows. Fair value is determined through the use of various methodologies such as discounted cash flows, valuation of recent financings and comparable valuations of similar companies.
Allowance for doubtful accounts	Allowance for doubtful accounts - Sony maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to reserve for potentially uncollectible receivables. Sony reviews accounts receivable by amounts due from customers which are past due to identify specific customers with known disputes or collectability issues. In determining the amount of the reserve, Sony makes judgments about the creditworthiness of customers based on past collection experience and ongoing credit risk evaluations.
Inventories	Inventories - Inventories in the Game & Network Services (“G&NS”), Music, Electronics Products & Solutions (“EP&S”) and Imaging & Sensing Solutions (“I&SS”) segments as well as non-film
Other receivables	Other receivables - Other receivables include receivables which relate to arrangements with certain component manufacturers whereby Sony procures goods, including product components, for these component manufacturers and is reimbursed for the related purchases. No revenue or profit is recognized on these transfers. Sony will repurchase the inventory at a later date from the component manufacturers as either finished goods inventory or as partially assembled product.
Film costs	Film costs - Film costs include direct production costs, production overhead and acquisition costs for both motion picture and television productions and are stated at the lower of unamortized cost or estimated fair value and classified as noncurrent assets. Film costs are amortized, and the estimated liabilities for residuals and participations are accrued using an individual-film-forecast method based on the ratio of current period actual revenues to the estimated remaining total revenues. Film costs also include broadcasting rights, which are recognized when the license period begins and the program is available for use, and consist of acquired programming to be aired on Sony’s worldwide channel network. Broadcasting rights are stated at the lower of unamortized cost or net realizable value, classified as either current or noncurrent assets based on timing of expected use. Broadcasting rights are amortized based on estimated usage or on a straight-line basis over the useful life, as appropriate, although broadcasting rights licensed under multi-year live-event sports programming agreements are generally amortized based on the ratio of the current period’s actual advertising revenue and an allocation of subscription fee revenue to the estimated total remaining attributable revenues. Estimates used in calculating the fair value of film costs and the net realizable value of broadcasting rights are based upon assumptions about future demand and market conditions and are reviewed on a periodic basis.
Property, plant and equipment and depreciation	Property, plant and equipment and depreciation - Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. Useful lives for depreciation range from 2 to 50 years for buildings and from 2 to 10 years for machinery and equipment. Significant renewals and additions are capitalized at cost. Maintenance and repairs, and minor renewals and betterments are charged to income as incurred.
Leases	Leases - When entering into a contract, Sony determines whether an arrangement contains a lease at its inception. An arrangement contains a lease if it conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant, or equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use right-of-use Right-of-use non-lease . As of April 1, 2019, Sony adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, which amends leasing guidance, on a modified retrospective basis with no restatement of comparative periods. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on April 1, 2019, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases were not recognized in Sony’s consolidated balance sheet. For the detailed effect of the adoption of the new standard on Sony’s results of operations and financial position, refer to Note 2 (2) Recently adopted accounting pronouncements.
Goodwill and other intangible assets	Goodwill and other intangible assets - Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets are tested annually for impairment during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value below its carrying amount. Such an event or change in circumstances would include unfavorable variances from established business plans, significant changes in forecasted results or volatility inherent to external markets and industries, which are periodically reviewed by Sony’s management. In the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Sony elected not to perform an optional qualitative assessment of goodwill and instead proceeded directly to a quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. Reporting units are Sony’s operating segments or one level below the operating segments. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. Indefinite lived intangible assets are tested for impairment by comparing the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying value, and if the carrying value of the intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. The fair value of a reporting unit or indefinite lived intangible asset is generally determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. This approach uses significant estimates and assumptions, including projected future cash flows, the timing of such cash flows, discount rates reflecting the risk inherent in future cash flows, perpetual growth rates, earnings multiples, the determination of appropriate comparable entities and the determination of whether a premium or discount should be applied to comparables. Consideration is also given to Sony’s market capitalization in relation to the sum of the calculated fair values of the reporting units, including reporting units with no goodwill, and taking into account corporate level assets and liabilities not assigned to individual reporting units as well as a reasonable control premium. The assumptions used for projected future cash flows and the timing of such cash flows are based on the forecast and mid-range Management believes that the assumptions used to estimate the fair value in the goodwill impairment tests are reasonable, including, but not limited to, the potential impacts arising from the spread of COVID-19. As the extent and duration of the impacts from COVID-19 remain unclear, Sony’s estimates and assumptions may evolve as conditions change. Actual results could differ from those estimates. As a result, changes in estimates resulting in lower than currently anticipated cash flows and fair values due to unforeseen changes in assumptions could negatively affect the valuations, which may result in Sony recognizing impairment charges for goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets in the future. When a business within a reporting unit is disposed of, goodwill is allocated to the disposed business using the relative fair value method. Intangible assets with finite useful lives mainly consist of patent rights, know-how, internal-use know-how, internal-use
Capitalized software	Capitalized software - The costs related to establishing the technological feasibility of software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed are expensed as incurred as a part of research and development in cost of sales. Costs that are incurred to produce the finished product after technological feasibility is established are capitalized and amortized to cost of sales over the estimated economic life, which is generally three years. The technological feasibility of game software is established when the product master is completed. Consideration to capitalize game software development costs before this point is limited to the development costs of games for which technological feasibility can be proven at an earlier stage. At each balance sheet date, Sony performs reviews to ensure that unamortized capitalized software costs remain recoverable from future profits of the related software products. The costs incurred for internal-use
Deferred insurance acquisition costs	Deferred insurance acquisition costs - Costs that vary with and are directly related to the acquisition or renewal of insurance policies are deferred as long as they are recoverable. The deferred insurance acquisition costs include such items as commissions, medical examination costs and inspection report fees, and are subject to recoverability testing at least annually to ensure that the capitalized amounts do not exceed the present value of anticipated gross profits or premiums less benefits and maintenance expenses, as applicable. The deferred insurance acquisition costs for traditional life insurance contracts are amortized over the premium-paying period of the related insurance policies using assumptions consistent with those used in computing policy reserves. The deferred insurance acquisition costs for non-traditional
Product warranty	Product warranty - Sony provides for the estimated cost of product warranties at the time revenue is recognized. The product warranty is calculated based upon product sales, estimated probability of failure and estimated cost per claim. The variables used in the calculation of the provision are reviewed on a periodic basis.
Future insurance policy benefits	Future insurance policy benefits - Liabilities for future insurance policy benefits are primarily comprised of the present value of estimated future payments to policyholders. These liabilities are computed by the net level premium method based upon the assumptions as to future investment yield, morbidity, mortality, withdrawals and other factors. These assumptions are reviewed on a periodic basis. Liabilities for future policy benefits includes the liabilities for the minimum guarantee benefits of variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts. As discussed below in “Fair value measurement,” Sony elected the fair value option for certain of these liabilities for future insurance policy benefits.
Policyholders' account in the life insurance business	Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business - Liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business represent the contract value that has accrued to the benefit of the policyholders as of the balance sheet date. This liability is generally equal to the accumulated account deposits, plus interest credited, less policyholder withdrawals and other charges assessed against the account balances. Liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business includes the liabilities related to the variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts with minimum guarantee benefits. As discussed below in “Fair value measurement,” Sony elected the fair value option for certain of these liabilities for policyholders’ account in the life insurance business.
Impairment of long-lived assets	Impairment of long-lived assets - Sony reviews the recoverability of the carrying value of its long-lived assets held and used, other than goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives, and assets to be disposed of, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the individual carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. Long-lived assets to be held and used are reviewed for impairment by comparing the carrying value of the asset or asset group with their estimated undiscounted future cash flows. If the cash flows are determined to be less than the carrying value of the asset or asset group, an impairment loss would be recognized during the period for the amount by which the carrying value of the asset or asset group exceeds estimated fair value. Long-lived assets that are to be disposed of other than by sale are considered held and used until they are disposed of. Long-lived assets that are to be disposed of by sale are reported at the lower of their carrying value or fair value less cost to sell and are not depreciated. Fair value is determined using the present value of estimated net cash flows or comparable market values. This approach uses significant estimates and assumptions including projected future cash flows, the timing of such cash flows, discount rates reflecting the risk inherent in future cash flows, perpetual growth rates applied to determine terminal values, determination of appropriate market comparables and the determination of whether a premium or discount should be applied to comparables. Management believes that the estimates of future cash flows and fair values are reasonable, including, but not limited to, the potential impacts arising from the spread of COVID-19. As the extent and duration of the impacts from COVID-19 remain unclear, Sony’s estimates and assumptions may evolve as conditions change. Actual results could differ from those estimates. As a result, changes in estimates resulting in lower future cash flows and fair values due to unforeseen changes in Sony’s businesses or assumptions could negatively affect the valuations of long-lived assets.
Fair value measurement	Fair value measurement - Sony measures fair value as an exit price, or the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants as of the measurement date. Sony has elected the fair value option in the banking business for certain foreign securities. The election was made to mitigate accounting mismatches related to fluctuations of foreign exchange rates by allowing the gains and losses on the translation of these securities to be included in current earnings. Sony has also elected the fair value option for certain future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business which are not normally measured at fair value. The election was made to mitigate accounting mismatches related to the changes in the fair value between liabilities for those future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account due to changes in the minimum guarantee risk of contracts of variable annuities with minimum guarantee benefits, and the underlying investment managed for policyholders and derivatives. Changes in fair value resulting from changes in instrument-specific credit risk were estimated by incorporating the certain subsidiary’s current credit spreads, and are recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax. The accounting guidance for fair value measurements specifies a hierarchy of inputs to valuation techniques based on the extent to which inputs used in measuring fair value are observable in the market. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect Sony’s assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Observable market data is used if such data is available without undue cost and effort. Each fair value measurement is reported in one of three levels which is determined by the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. These levels are: Level 1 — Inputs are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets. Level 2 — Inputs are based on observable inputs other than level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active and model-derived valuations, in which all significant inputs are observable in active markets. Level 3 — One or more significant inputs are unobservable. When available, Sony uses unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets to measure fair value and classifies such items within level 1. If quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed valuation techniques that use, where possible, current market-based or independently sourced market parameters, such as interest rates, currency rates and option volatilities. Items valued using internally generated models are classified according to the lowest level input that is significant to the valuation. For certain financial assets and liabilities, Sony determines fair value using third-party information such as indicative quotes from dealers and quantitative input from investment advisors following Sony’s established valuation procedures including validation against internally developed prices. Additionally, Sony considers both counterparty credit risk and Sony’s own creditworthiness in determining fair value. Sony attempts to mitigate credit risk to third parties by entering into netting agreements and actively monitoring the creditworthiness of counterparties and its exposure to credit risk through the use of credit limits and by selecting major international banks and financial institutions as counterparties. Transfers between levels are deemed to have occurred at the beginning of the interim period in which the transfers occur.
Derivative financial instruments	Derivative financial instruments - All derivatives are recognized as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value on a gross basis. Changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments are either recognized periodically in income or stockholders’ equity (as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income), depending on whether the derivative financial instrument qualifies as a hedge and the derivative is being used to hedge changes in fair value or cash flows. The accounting guidance for hybrid financial instruments permits an entity to elect fair value remeasurement for any hybrid financial instrument if the hybrid instrument contains an embedded derivative that would otherwise be required to be bifurcated and accounted for separately under accounting guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities. The election to measure the hybrid instrument at fair value is made on an instrument-by-instrument In accordance with accounting guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities, various derivative financial instruments held by Sony are classified and accounted for as described below. Fair value hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as fair value hedges for recognized assets or liabilities or unrecognized firm commitments are recognized in earnings as offsets to changes in the fair value of the related hedged assets or liabilities. Cash flow hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges for forecasted transactions or exposures associated with recognized assets or liabilities are initially recorded in other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings. The time value component of the fair value of option contracts is excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness and recognized in earnings on a straight-line basis over the life of the hedging instruments. Any difference between the change in fair value of the excluded component and the Derivatives not designated as hedges Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are not designated as hedges are recognized immediately in earnings. Assessment of hedges When applying hedge accounting, Sony formally documents all hedging relationships between the derivatives designated as hedges and the hedged items, as well as its risk management objectives and strategies for undertaking various hedging activities. Sony links all hedges that are designated as fair value or cash flow hedges to specific assets or liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets or to the specific forecasted transactions. Sony also assesses, both at the inception of the hedge and on an on-going
Stock-based compensation	Stock-based compensation - Sony accounts for stock-based compensation using the fair value -
Revenue recognition	Revenue recognition - Sony recognizes revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration Sony expects in exchange for satisfying performance obligations to transfer the goods or services promised in contracts with customers. This is in accordance with the following steps: Step 1: Identify the contract(s) with a customer. Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract. Step 3: Determine the transaction price. Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract. Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) Sony satisfies a performance obligation. Sony owns a variety of intellectual property throughout segments and recognizes revenue through the licensing of such intellectual property. Sony has both functional and symbolic intellectual property. The licensing of functional intellectual property grants a customer a right to use Sony’s intellectual property as it exists at a point in time, and Sony satisfies its performance obligation at the point in time when the customer obtains control and is entitled to benefit from the license. The licensing of symbolic intellectual property grants a customer a right to access Sony’s intellectual property over time, and Sony satisfies its performance obligation over the license period as Sony maintains the intellectual property. Incremental costs of obtaining a contract and costs to fulfill a contract are recognized as assets when Sony expects to recover these costs. The incremental costs of obtaining a contract are those costs that would not have been incurred if the contract had not been obtained. Costs to fulfill a contract are those costs that are directly related to a contract or to an anticipated contract and that generate or enhance resources for Sony to satisfy its performance obligations. Sony applies a practical expedient and recognizes the incremental costs of obtaining a contract as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the asset that would have been recognized is one year or less. Performance obligations in contracts for the EP&S and I&SS segments are primarily to deliver various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments and devices to customers. Revenues from these performance obligations are generally recognized when a promised good is delivered to a customer. However, if the sales contract contains a customer acceptance provision, then revenues are recognized when the customer accepts the promised good or when a deemed acceptance occurs by the lapse of time. Revenues are also recognized over time, primarily from the provision of internet broadband network services to subscribers over the subscription period. Revenues are recognized net of anticipated returns and sales incentives. Within the G&NS segment, revenues from hardware, peripherals and software discs are recognized when performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control to the retailer/distributor, net of anticipated returns, sales incentives and cooperative advertising obligations. Revenues from platform licensing to publishers are recognized when physical software discs are delivered. Revenues from digital game content, which is licensed functional intellectual property, are recognized when the digital content is made available for use by the licensee via an online platform, net of anticipated sales incentives and credit card chargebacks. Revenues from digital game content involving multiple performance obligations, such as obligations to make content available on future dates, are allocated to each performance obligation based on the relative standalone selling prices that are observable in the market or Sony’s best estimate. Revenues from subscription fees for digital subscription services are recognized over the subscription period. Within the Music segment, Sony licenses intellectual property that transfer to a customer either a right to use Sony’s intellectual property as it exists at the point in time in which the license is granted, or a right to access Sony’s intellectual property as it exists throughout the license period. Revenues are recognized when the customer has the right to use or access the intellectual property and obtains control of the use or access of that license. Digital revenues include revenues from contracts with digital streaming services typically recognized as a single performance obligation, which is ongoing access to intellectual property in an evolving library of content over the contract term, predicated on: (1) the business practice and contractual ability to remove specific content without a requirement to replace the content and without impact to minimum royalty guarantees and (2) the contracts not containing a specific listing of content subject to the license. For these contracts, revenues are recognized on the basis of sales and usage royalties, except where there is an amount of a minimum royalty guarantee that is not expected to be recouped, or a fixed fee, which is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the contract. Revenues from the sale of physical product such as CDs, net of anticipated returns and sales incentives, are recognized when delivery has occurred and the product is available for sale to the public. Within the Pictures segment, revenues from the theatrical exhibition of motion pictures are recognized as the customer exhibits the film. Revenues from the licensing of motion picture and television programming for pay and free television exhibition and other markets are recognized when the product is available for use by the licensee. Revenues for motion picture and television program licensing arrangements involving multiple performance obligations, for example a fee for multiple titles, territories or availability dates, are allocated based on the relative standalone selling price of each performance obligation using Sony’s best estimate based on available information such as market conditions and internal pricing guidelines. Each individual motion picture or television programming product delivered generally represents a separate performance obligation. Licensing revenue associated with certain renewals or extensions of existing agreements for motion pictures and television programming is recognized when the licensee can use and benefit from the content under the renewal or extension. Licensing revenue associated with minimum guarantees for symbolic intellectual property is recognized ratably over the license term. For home entertainment distribution, revenues from the sale of physical product such as DVDs and Blu-ray TM video-on-demand Traditional life insurance policies that the life insurance subsidiary underwrites, most of which are categorized as long-duration contracts, mainly consist of whole life, term life and accident and health insurance contracts. Premiums from these policies are reported as revenue when due from policyholders. Amounts received as payment for non-traditional Property and casualty insurance policies that the non-life Revenue is recognized net of any taxes collected from customers and subsequently remitted to governmental authorities.
Cost of sales	Cost of sales - Costs classified as cost of sales relate to the producing and manufacturing of products and include items such as material cost, subcontractor cost, depreciation of fixed assets, amortization of intangible assets, personnel expenses, research and development costs, and amortization of film costs related to motion picture and television productions.
Research and development costs	Research and development costs - Research and development costs, included in cost of sales, include items such as salaries, personnel expenses and other direct and indirect expenses associated with research and product development. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Selling, general and administrative	Selling, general and administrative - Costs classified as selling expenses relate to promoting and selling products and include items such as advertising, promotion, shipping and warranty expenses. General and administrative expenses include operating items such as officers’ salaries, personnel expenses, depreciation of fixed assets, office rental for sales, marketing and administrative divisions, a provision for doubtful accounts and amortization of intangible assets.
Financial services expenses	Financial services expenses - Financial services expenses include a provision for policy reserves and amortization of deferred insurance acquisition costs, and all other operating costs, such as personnel expenses, depreciation of fixed assets, and office rental of subsidiaries, in the Financial Services segment.
Advertising costs	Advertising costs - Advertising costs are expensed when the advertisement or commercial appears in the selected media.
Shipping and handling costs	Shipping and handling costs - The majority of shipping and handling, warehousing and internal transfer costs for finished goods are included in selling, general and administrative expenses. An exception to this is in the Pictures segment where such costs are charged to cost of sales as they are an integral part of producing and distributing motion pictures and television programming. All other costs related to Sony’s distribution network are included in cost of sales, including inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs and warehousing costs for raw materials and in-process
Income taxes	Income taxes - The provision for income taxes is computed based on the pretax income included in the consolidated statements of income, and the tax liability attributed to undistributed earnings of subsidiaries and affiliated companies accounted for by the equity method expected to be remitted in the foreseeable future. The asset and liability approach is used to recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. Carrying amounts of deferred tax assets require a reduction by a valuation allowance if, based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the need to establish valuation allowances for deferred tax assets is assessed periodically with appropriate consideration given to all positive and negative evidence related to the realization of the deferred tax assets. Management’s judgments related to this assessment consider, among other matters, the nature, frequency and severity of current and cumulative losses on an individual tax jurisdiction basis, forecasts of future profitability after consideration of uncertain tax positions, excess of appreciated asset value over the tax basis of net assets, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, the past utilization of net operating loss carryforwards prior to expiration, as well as prudent and feasible tax planning strategies which would be employed by Sony to prevent net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards from expiring unutilized. Sony records assets and liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Sony continues to recognize interest and penalties, if any, with respect to income taxes, including unrecognized tax benefits, as interest expense and as income tax expense, respectively, in the consolidated statements of income. The amount of income taxes Sony pays is subject to ongoing audits by various taxing authorities, which may result in proposed assessments. In addition, several significant items related to intercompany transfer pricing are currently the subject of negotiations between taxing authorities in different jurisdictions as a result of pending advance pricing agreement applications and competent authority requests. Sony’s estimate for the potential outcome for any uncertain tax issues is judgmental and requires significant estimates. Sony assesses its income tax positions and records tax benefits for all years subject to examinations based upon the evaluation of the facts, circumstances and information available at that reporting date. For those tax positions for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will be sustained, Sony records the amount that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. If Sony does not believe that it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will be sustained, no tax benefit is recognized. However, Sony’s future results may include favorable or unfavorable adjustments to Sony’s estimated tax liabilities due to closure of income tax examinations, the outcome of negotiations between taxing authorities in different jurisdictions, new regulatory or judicial pronouncements or other relevant events. As a result, the amount of unrecognized tax benefits, and the effective tax rate, may fluctuate significantly. The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “U.S. Tax Reform Act”) subjects a U.S. entity to tax on Global Intangible Low Tax Income (“GILTI”) earned by its foreign subsidiaries. Sony has elected to account for GILTI as a current period expense when incurred.
Net income (loss) attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders per share ("EPS")	Net income (loss) attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders per share (“EPS”) - Basic EPS is computed based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each period. The computation of diluted EPS reflects the maximum possible dilution from conversion, exercise, or contingent issuance of securities. All potentially dilutive securities are excluded from the calculation in a situation where there is a net loss attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders.
Recently adopted accounting pronouncements	Leases - In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2016-02, As a result of the adoption of this ASU, Sony recognized 316,923 million yen of operating lease right-of-use right-of-use right-of-use right-of-use Premium amortization on purchased callable debt securities - In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-08, which requires certain premiums on callable debt securities to be amortized to the earliest call date. The amortization period for callable debt securities purchased at a discount will not be affected. This ASU was effective for Sony as of April 1, 2019. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on Sony’s results of operations and financial position. Targeted improvements to accounting for hedging activities - In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, non-financial
Recent accounting pronouncements not yet adopted	(3) Recent accounting pronouncements not yet adopted Measurement of credit losses on financial instruments - In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Improvements to Accounting for Costs of Films and License Agreements for Program Materials - In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-02, title-by-title approximately b ap proximately b ies Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts - In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-12, 2019-09 2018-12 Disclosures for Fair Value Measurement - In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Disclosures for Defined Benefit Plans - In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Income Taxes - In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, which simplifies the accounting requirements for income taxes. This ASU will be effective for Sony as of April 1, 2021 and amendments within this ASU are required to be applied on a prospective basis, except certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. The impact of this ASU on Sony’s results of operations and financial position is being evaluated. Reference Rate Reform - In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, which provides optional relief for certain contracts impacted by reference rate reform. The relief provided by the amendments is permitted to be adopted any time through December 31, 2022. Sony is still evaluating the impact of reference rate reform and whether to apply the optional relief.
Reclassifications	(4) Reclassifications Certain reclassifications of the financial statements and accompanying footnotes for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018 and 2019 have been made to conform to the presentation for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020.

Inventories (Tables)

Inventories (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Summary of Inventories	Inventories are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Finished products 407,295 345,231 Work in process 154,178 149,969 Raw materials, purchased components and supplies 91,805 94,769 Inventories 653,278 589,969

Film costs (Tables)

Film costs (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Other Industries [Abstract]
Summary of Film Costs	Film costs are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Motion picture productions: Released 87,158 99,482 Completed and not released 3,189 18,776 In production and development 130,736 67,199 Television productions: Released 144,316 186,344 In production and development 9,147 25,093 Broadcasting rights 70,401 61,959 Less: current portion included in inventories (35,942 ) (31,517 ) Film costs 409,005 427,336

Investments in affiliated com_2

Investments in affiliated companies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Summarized Combined Financial Information Provided by Equity Investees	The summarized combined financial information that is based on information provided by the equity investees including information for significant equity affiliates and the reconciliation of such information to the consolidated financial statements is shown below: Balance Sheets Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Current assets 355,320 389,195 Noncurrent assets 608,626 164,852 Current liabilities 188,905 194,219 Noncurrent liabilities and noncontrolling interests 584,714 60,469 Percentage of ownership in equity investees 20%-50 % 20%-50 % Statements of Income Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Net revenues 468,933 390,457 387,678 Operating income 56,729 53,920 58,431 Net income attributable to controlling interests 27,301 5,539 34,916 Percentage of ownership in equity investees 20%-50 % 20%-50 % 20%-50 %
Account Balances and Transactions with Affiliated Companies Accounted for under Equity Method	Account balances and transactions with affiliated companies accounted for under the equity method are presented below. There are no other material transactions or account balances with any other related parties. Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Accounts receivable, trade 12,404 12,030 Other receivables 134 1,589 Other current assets 33 9,757 Accounts payable, trade 1,087 1,497 Short-term borrowings 29,744 31,557 Finance lease liabilities and other* 20,265 34,564 Operating lease liabilities — 2,393 * Finance lease liabilities and other were represented as Capital lease obligations as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales 45,415 41,437 35,951 Purchases 3,180 5,584 3,479

Marketable securities and sec_2

Marketable securities and securities investments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Aggregate Cost, Gross Unrealized Gains and Losses and Fair Value Pertaining to Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities	Marketable securities and securities investments, primarily held in the Financial Services segment, include debt securities for which the aggregate cost, gross unrealized gains and losses and fair value pertaining to available-for-sale held-to-maturity s Yen in millions March 31, 2019 March 31, 2020 Cost Gross Gross Fair value Cost Gross Gross Fair value Debt securities: Available-for-sale securities: Japanese national government bonds 1,422,620 220,989 (20 ) 1,643,589 1,552,036 210,459 (566 ) 1,761,929 Japanese local government bonds 67,461 70 (34 ) 67,497 69,132 73 (33 ) 69,172 Japanese corporate bonds 202,433 17,178 (223 ) 219,388 202,164 19,112 (567 ) 220,709 Foreign government bonds 153,429 8,669 (603 ) 161,495 198,777 81,014 (14 ) 279,777 Foreign corporate bonds 360,299 944 (376 ) 360,867 361,422 507 (2,179 ) 359,750 Securitized products 190,111 1 — 190,112 205,223 0 — 205,223 Other 2,286 2,402 — 4,688 14,398 1,867 (12 ) 16,253 2,398,639 250,253 (1,256 ) 2,647,636 2,603,152 313,032 (3,371 ) 2,912,813 Held-to-maturity Japanese national government bonds 6,042,635 2,016,786 — 8,059,421 6,204,505 2,098,885 (1,397 ) 8,301,993 Japanese local government bonds 3,518 388 — 3,906 2,504 331 — 2,835 Japanese corporate bonds 409,329 44,348 (5,845 ) 447,832 482,050 61,176 (4,754 ) 538,472 Foreign government bonds 386,392 18,609 (13,742 ) 391,259 723,937 302,297 — 1,026,234 Foreign corporate bonds 198 11 — 209 98 7 — 105 Securitized products — — — — 5,418 — (421 ) 4,997 6,842,072 2,080,142 (19,587 ) 8,902,627 7,418,512 2,462,696 (6,572 ) 9,874,636 Total 9,240,711 2,330,395 (20,843 ) 11,550,263 10,021,664 2,775,728 (9,943 ) 12,787,449
Cost and Fair Value of Debt Securities Classified as Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities by Contractual Maturity	The following table presents the cost and fair value of debt securities classified as available-for-sale held-to-maturity Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Available-for-sale Held-to-maturity Cost Fair value Cost Fair value Due in one year or less 145,867 146,084 6,075 6,109 Due after one year through five years 432,281 435,443 199,509 217,983 Due after five years through ten years 561,098 637,363 246,072 283,086 Due after ten years 1,463,906 1,693,923 6,966,856 9,367,458 Total 2,603,152 2,912,813 7,418,512 9,874,636
Gross Unrealized Losses and Fair Value of Securities with Unrealized Losses, Aggregated by Investment Category and Length of Time in Continuous Unrealized Loss Position	The following tables present the gross unrealized losses on, and fair value of, Sony’s investment securities with unrealized losses, aggregated by investment category and the length of time that individual investment securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position, at March 31, 2019 and 2020. Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Less than 12 months 12 months or more Total Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Debt securities: Available-for-sale securities: Japanese national government bonds — — 4,063 (20 ) 4,063 (20 ) Japanese local government bonds 27,404 (29 ) 4,872 (5 ) 32,276 (34 ) Japanese corporate bonds 25,725 (21 ) 19,925 (202 ) 45,650 (223 ) Foreign government bonds — — 15,878 (603 ) 15,878 (603 ) Foreign corporate bonds 50,281 (117 ) 15,455 (259 ) 65,736 (376 ) Securitized products — — — — — — Other — — — — — — 103,410 (167 ) 60,193 (1,089 ) 163,603 (1,256 ) Held-to-maturity Japanese national government bonds — — — — — — Japanese local government bonds — — — — — — Japanese corporate bonds — — 97,984 (5,845 ) 97,984 (5,845 ) Foreign government bonds — — 151,229 (13,742 ) 151,229 (13,742 ) Foreign corporate bonds — — — — — — — — 249,213 (19,587 ) 249,213 (19,587 ) Total 103,410 (167 ) 309,406 (20,676 ) 412,816 (20,843 ) Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Less than 12 months 12 months or more Total Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Debt securities: Available-for-sale securities: Japanese national government bonds 51,746 (539 ) 2,032 (27 ) 53,778 (566 ) Japanese local government bonds 25,010 (10 ) 16,340 (23 ) 41,350 (33 ) Japanese corporate bonds 62,118 (548 ) 10,694 (19 ) 72,812 (567 ) Foreign government bonds — — 1,537 (14 ) 1,537 (14 ) Foreign corporate bonds 86,220 (2,133 ) 18,896 (46 ) 105,116 (2,179 ) Securitized products — — — — — — Other 12,055 (12 ) — — 12,055 (12 ) 237,149 (3,242 ) 49,499 (129 ) 286,648 (3,371 ) Held-to-maturity Japanese national government bonds 134,320 (1,397 ) — — 134,320 (1,397 ) Japanese local government bonds — — — — — — Japanese corporate bonds 98,172 (4,285 ) 3,727 (469 ) 101,899 (4,754 ) Foreign government bonds — — — — — — Foreign corporate bonds — — — — — — Securitized products 5,418 (421 ) — — 5,418 (421 ) 237,910 (6,103 ) 3,727 (469 ) 241,637 (6,572 ) Total 475,059 (9,345 ) 53,226 (598 ) 528,285 (9,943 )

Leases (Tables)

Leases (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Leases [Abstract]
Components of lease cost	The components of lease cost are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended 2020 Finance Lease cost Amortization of right-of-use 10,077 Interest on lease liabilities 1,266 Total finance lease cost 11,343 Operating lease cost 76,863 Short-term lease cost 20,620 Variable lease cost 141 Sublease income (3,860 ) Total lease cost 105,107
Summary of Supplemental consolidated balance sheet information related to leases	Supplemental consolidated balance sheet information related to leases is as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2020 Finance leases Current portion of long-term debt 9,240 Long-term debt 29,843 Total finance lease liabilities 39,083 Weighted average remaining lease term Operating leases 9.91 years Finance leases 8.61 years Weighted average discount rate Operating leases 3.147 % Finance leases 2.338 %
Summary of minimum rental payments required under operating leases that have initial or remaining noncancelable lease terms in excess of one year	The minimum rental payments required under operating leases that have initial or remaining lease terms in excess of one year at March , are as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2020 58,901 2021 48,823 2022 34,726 2023 25,355 2024 22,152 Later fiscal years 78,507 Total minimum future rentals 268,464
Summary of Maturities of Lease Liabilities	Maturities of lease liabilities as of March 31, 2020 Yen in millions Fiscal year ending March 31 Operating leases Finance leases 2021 76,469 10,213 2022 69,606 7,323 2023 55,648 5,990 2024 40,303 4,689 2025 30,664 3,163 Later fiscal years 152,275 23,088 Total lease payments 424,965 54,466 Less imputed interest 41,187 15,383 Total 383,778 39,083
Summary of other information related to leases	Other information related to leases is as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended 2020 Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities Payments for operating leases, included in cash flows from operating activities 71,612 Payments for finance leases, included in cash flows from financing activities 33,088 Right-of-use 124,380

Goodwill and other intangible_2

Goodwill and other intangible assets (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Acquired Intangible Assets other than Goodwill and Weighted-Average Amortization Period	Intangible assets other than goodwill acquired during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 totaled 146,023 million yen, of which 145,596 million yen is subject to amortization, and are comprised of the following: Intangible assets acquired during the fiscal year Weighted-average Yen in millions Years Patent rights, know-how 7,848 8 Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed 16,609 3 Internal-use 93,768 4 Music catalogs 19,837 14 Other 7,534 11
Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization	Intangible assets subject to amortization are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31, 2019 March 31, 2020 Gross carrying Accumulated Gross carrying Accumulated Patent rights, know-how 169,761 (145,525 ) 166,076 (146,051 ) Customer relationships 15,759 (11,825 ) 16,104 (12,467 ) Trademarks 15,768 (9,863 ) 11,152 (6,114 ) Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed 125,350 (96,322 ) 141,111 (110,663 ) Internal-use 529,022 (345,935 ) 594,109 (384,236 ) Music catalogs 615,206 (106,725 ) 612,266 (124,787 ) Artist contracts 42,575 (29,108 ) 41,764 (29,017 ) Television carriage contracts (broadcasting agreements) 74,605 (28,685 ) 53,266 (21,645 ) Other 61,675 (49,288 ) 64,456 (51,317 ) Total 1,649,721 (823,276 ) 1,700,304 (886,297 )
Estimated Aggregate Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets	The estimated aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets for the next five fiscal years is as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2021 97,978 2022 82,057 2023 66,079 2024 50,098 2025 38,658
Total Carrying Amount of Intangible Assets having Indefinite Life	Total carrying amount of intangible assets having an indefinite life is Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Trademarks 69,447 69,975 Distribution agreements 18,834 18,834 Other 3,240 3,494 Total 91,521 92,303
Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Segment	The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by segment for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: G&NS Music Pictures EP&S I&SS Financial All Total Balance, March 31, 2018: Goodwill — gross 150,606 165,700 246,620 194,468 45,793 7,931 27,912 839,030 Accumulated impairments — (306 ) (102,208 ) (181,665 ) — (706 ) (23,653 ) (308,538 ) Goodwill 150,606 165,394 144,412 12,803 45,793 7,225 4,259 530,492 Increase (decrease) due to: Acquisitions * 2,261 240,396 387 — — — — 243,044 Sales and dispositions — — — — — — — — Impairments — — — (776 ) — — (4,331 ) (5,107 ) Translation adjustments 1,088 (2,420 ) 3,673 (73 ) 771 — 72 3,111 Other — — (2,988 ) — — — — (2,988 ) Balance, March 31, 2019: Goodwill — gross 153,955 403,676 252,262 194,416 46,564 7,931 28,570 1,087,374 Accumulated impairments — (306 ) (106,778 ) (182,462 ) — (706 ) (28,570 ) (318,822 ) Goodwill 153,955 403,370 145,484 11,954 46,564 7,225 — 768,552 Increase (decrease) due to: Acquisitions * 17,945 2,956 14,889 364 — 3,609 — 39,763 Sales and dispositions — — (609 ) — — — — (609 ) Impairments — — — — — — — — Translation adjustments (926 ) (13,802 ) (5,410 ) (129 ) (372 ) — — (20,639 ) Other — (1,199 ) (1,980 ) — — — — (3,179 ) Balance, March 31, 2020: Goodwill — gross 170,974 391,631 257,074 194,635 46,192 11,540 28,269 1,100,315 Accumulated impairments — (306 ) (104,700 ) (182,446 ) — (706 ) (28,269 ) (316,427 ) Goodwill 170,974 391,325 152,374 12,189 46,192 10,834 — 783,888 * Acquisitions for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 relate mainly to the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in the Music segment. Acquisitions for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 relate mainly to the acquisition of Insomniac Games, Inc. in the G&NS segment, Silvergate Media in the Pictures segment and AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. in the Financial Services segment. Refer to Note 25.

Insurance-related accounts (Tab

Insurance-related accounts (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Insurance [Abstract]
Policyholders' Account in Life Insurance Business	Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business is comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Universal life insurance 2,104,646 2,611,577 Investment contracts 816,903 885,690 Other 126,653 145,004 Total 3,048,202 3,642,271
Schedule of Net Amount of Risk by Product and Guarantee	The policyholders’ account value, net amount at risk, liability for the minimum guarantee benefit, and average attained age at March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows. Yen in million s March 31, 2019 Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Total Policyholder s — 1,092,559 1,092,559 Net amount at risk — 4,334,224 4,334,224 Liability for minimum guarantee benefit — 63,423 63,423 Age March 31 2019 Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Average attained age — 44 Yen in million s March 31 , Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Total Policyholder s 464,093 1,096,935 1,561,028 Net amount at risk 71,685 4,564,214 4,635,899 Liability for minimum guarantee benefit 64,045 79,860 143,905 Age March 31 2020 Variable annuities Variable life insurance contracts Average attained age 60 45

Short-term borrowings and lon_2

Short-term borrowings and long-term debt (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Short-Term Borrowings	Short-term borrowings are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Unsecured loans: with a weighted-average interest rate of 2.52% 55,186 with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.86% 91,725 Repurchase agreement: with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.56% 432,820 with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.93% 567,194 Secured call money: with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.18% 130,612 with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.13% 151,257 618,618 810,176
Long-Term Debt	Long-term debt is comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Unsecured loans, representing obligations principally to banks: Due 2019 to 2024, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 7.89 % per annum 57,321 Due 2020 to 2029, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 5.10 % per annum 17,880 Unsecured 0.05% bonds, due 2019 69,964 Unsecured 2.07% bonds, due 2019 50,000 Unsecured 0.23% bonds, due 2021 89,819 89,894 Unsecured 0.11% bonds, due 2022 10,000 10,000 Unsecured 1.41% bonds, due 2022 10,000 10,000 Unsecured 0.28% bonds, due 2023 15,000 15,000 Unsecured 0.13% bonds, due 2024 29,886 Unsecured 0.22% bonds, due 2025 10,000 10,000 Unsecured 0.42% bonds, due 2026 24,911 24,923 Unsecured 0.18% bonds, due 2026 10,000 Unsecured 0.30% bonds, due 2029 59,738 Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022: Conversion price 5,008.0 yen per common share 119,961 Conversion price 4,996.0 yen per common share 119,531 Secured 0.00% loans, due 2020 to 2023 200,003 201,205 Finance lease liabilities and other*: Due 2019 to 2048, with interest rates ranging from 0.36% to 9.14% per annum 72,991 Due 2020 to 2050, with interest rates ranging from 0.01% to 12.59% per annum 56,350 Guarantee deposits received 10,863 10,366 740,833 664,773 Less — Portion due within one year 172,461 29,807 568,372 634,966 * Finance lease liabilities and other were represented as Capital lease obligations and other as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019.
Aggregate Amounts of Annual Maturities of Long-Term Debt	Aggregate amounts of annual maturities of long-term debt are as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2021 29,807 2022 159,102 2023 229,617 2024 81,041 2025 43,923 Later fiscal years 121,283 Total 664,773

Housing loans and deposits fr_2

Housing loans and deposits from customers in the banking business (Tables)	Nov. 15, 2019
Banking and Thrift [Abstract]
Aggregate Amounts of Annual Maturities of Time Deposits with Remaining Term of More Than One Year	At March 31, 2020, aggregate amounts of annual maturities of time deposits with a remaining term of more than one year are as follows: Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2022 39,145 2023 16,102 2024 10,513 2025 3,238 2026 2,190 Later fiscal years 12,823 Total 84,011

Fair value measurements (Tables

Fair value measurements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis	The fair value of Sony’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows. Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Marketable Securities Other Other Assets: Debt securities Trading securities 22,105 212,012 — 234,117 234,117 — — — Available-for-sale Japanese national government bonds — 1,643,589 — 1,643,589 18,719 1,624,870 — — Japanese local government bonds — 67,497 — 67,497 7,768 59,729 — — Japanese corporate bonds — 219,388 — 219,388 11,472 207,916 — — Foreign government bonds *1 — 161,495 — 161,495 3,984 157,511 — — Foreign corporate bonds *2 — 338,163 22,704 360,867 90,801 270,066 — — Securitized products *3 — 25,029 165,083 190,112 — 190,112 — — Other — 4,688 — 4,688 — 4,688 — — Equity securities 1,037,100 135,794 — 1,172,894 951,390 221,504 — — Other investments *4 5,489 1,507 6,918 13,914 — 13,914 — — Derivative assets *5 444 10,042 — 10,486 — — 9,431 1,055 Total assets 1,065,138 2,819,204 194,705 4,079,047 1,318,251 2,750,310 9,431 1,055 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Future insurance policy benefits Policyholders’ account Other current liabilities Other noncurrent liabilitie Liabilities: Derivative liabilities *5 136 32,686 — 32,822 — — 19,852 12,970 Total liabilities 136 32,686 — 32,822 — — 19,852 12,970 Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Marketable Securities Other Other Assets: Debt securities Trading securities 24,330 245,790 — 270,120 270,120 — — — Available-for-sale Japanese national government bonds — 1,761,929 — 1,761,929 10,011 1,751,918 — — Japanese local government bonds — 69,172 — 69,172 15,334 53,838 — — Japanese corporate bonds — 220,679 30 220,709 14,774 205,935 — — Foreign government bonds *1 — 279,777 — 279,777 2,690 277,087 — — Foreign corporate bonds *2 — 343,980 15,770 359,750 94,156 265,594 — — Securitized products *3 — 33,383 171,840 205,223 — 205,223 — — Other — 4,152 12,101 16,253 — 16,253 — — Equity securities 950,744 581,642 — 1,532,386 1,434,612 97,774 — — Other investments *4 7,162 816 9,242 17,220 — 17,220 — — Derivative assets *5 1,310 41,073 — 42,383 — — 40,784 1,599 Total assets 983,546 3,582,393 208,983 4,774,922 1,841,697 2,890,842 40,784 1,599 Presentation in the consolidated balance sheets Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Future insurance policy benefits Policyholders’ account Other current liabilities Other noncurrent liabilities Liabilities: Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business *6 — — 532,191 532,191 64,045 468,146 — — Derivative liabilities *5 2,077 33,789 — 35,866 — — 16,814 19,052 Total liabilities 2,077 33,789 532,191 568,057 64,045 468,146 16,814 19,052 *1 4,910 million yen and 7,771 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020 . *2 173,964 million yen and 188,426 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. In the consolidated balance sheets, 33,391 million yen and 34,502 million yen are included as marketable securities and 140,573 million yen and 153,924 million yen are included as securities investment and other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *3 185,195 million yen and 193,430 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 and level 3 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and are included in the consolidated balance sheets as securities investments and other. *4 Other investments include certain hybrid financial instruments and certain private equity investments. *5 Derivative assets and liabilities are recognized and disclosed on a gross basis. *6 Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business are those for which the fair value option has been elected. Net gains of 85 million yen and net loss of 12,408 million yen arising from assets and liabilities
Changes in Fair Value of Level Three Assets and Liabilities	The changes in fair value of level 3 assets and liabilities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 Assets Liabilities Debt securities Future Policyholders’ Available-for-sale securities Japanese Foreign Securitized Other Other Beginning balance — 27,878 83,614 — 9,104 — Total realized and unrealized gains (losses): Included in earnings *1 — 465 562 — 276 — Included in other comprehensive income *2 — 131 1 — — — Purchases and Issuances — 5,787 94,696 — 4 — Sales — — — — (6 ) — Settlements — (10,435 ) (13,601 ) — (2,460 ) — Transfers into level 3 *3 — 20,863 5,284 — — — Transfers out of level 3 *4 — (21,985 ) (5,473 ) — — — Ending balance — 22,704 165,083 — 6,918 — Changes in unrealized gains (losses) Included in earnings *1 — 219 510 — 441 — Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Assets Liabilities Debt securities Future s ’ account Available-for-sale securities Japanese Foreign Securitized Other Other Beginning balance — 22,704 165,083 — 6,918 — Acquisition of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., *5 — — — — — 547,190 Total realized and unrealized gains (losses): Included in earnings *1 — 311 (18,151 ) — (500 ) 12,500 Included *2 — (73 ) 1 — — 3,032 Purchases and Issuances 30 13,597 40,175 12,101 4,711 5,295 Sales — — — — (9 ) — Settlements — (20,867 ) (12,967 ) — (1,878 ) (4,762 ) Transfers into level 3 *3 — 3,374 — — — — Transfers out of level 3 *4 — (3,276 ) (2,301 ) — — — Ending balance 30 15,770 171,840 12,101 9,242 532,191 Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at reporting date: Included in earnings *1 — (94 ) (16,507 ) — (376 ) 10,273 *1 Earning effects are included in financi a *2 Unrealized gains (losses) are included in unrealized gains (losses) on securities, net for available-for-sale securities and included in debt valuation adjustments for future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. *3 Certain corporate bonds and certain securitized products were transferred into level 3 because differences between the fair value determined by indicative quotes from dealers and the fair value determined by internally developed prices became significant and the observability of the inputs used decreased. *4 Certain corporate bonds and certain securitized products were transferred out of level 3 because observable market data became available. *5 Refer to Note 25
Assets and Liabilities Remeasured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis	During the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, such remeasurements to fair value related primarily to the following: During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 Estimated fair value Amounts included in earnings Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Assets: Long-lived assets impairments — — 4,389 (44,135 ) Goodwill impairment — — 0 (5,107 ) (49,242 ) During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Estimated fair value Amounts included in earnings Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Assets: Remeasurement of retained investment in SRE 15,911 — — 13,347 Long-lived assets impairments — — 8,155 (36,003 ) (22,656 )
Estimated Fair Values by Fair Value Hierarchy Level of Certain Financial Instruments not Reported at Fair Value	The estimated fair values by fair value hierarchy level of certain financial instruments that are not reported at fair value are summarized as follows: Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Estimated fair value Carrying Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Total Assets: Housing loans in the banking business — 1,861,384 — 1,861,384 1,685,504 Total assets — 1,861,384 — 1,861,384 1,685,504 Liabilities: Long-term debt including the current portion — 737,529 — 737,529 740,833 Investment contracts included in policyholders’ account in the life insurance business — 877,157 — 877,157 816,903 Total liabilities — 1,614,686 — 1,614,686 1,557,736 Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Estimated fair value Carrying Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Total Assets: Housing loans in the banking business — 2,161,432 — 2,161,432 1,927,054 Total assets — 2,161,432 — 2,161,432 1,927,054 Liabilities: Long-term debt including the current portion — 699,358 — 699,358 664,773 Investment contracts included in policyholders’ account in the life insurance business — 969,464 — 969,464 885,690 Total liabilities — 1,668,822 — 1,668,822 1,550,463

Derivative instruments and he_2

Derivative instruments and hedging activities (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Summary of Estimated Fair Values of Outstanding Derivative Instruments	The estimated fair values of Sony’s outstanding derivative instruments are summarized as follows: Derivatives designated as hedging Yen in millions Balance sheet location Fair value Balance sheet location Fair value March 31 March 31 Asset derivatives 2019 2020 Liability derivatives 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 10 9 Current liabilities: Other 141 183 Interest rate contracts Other assets: Other 101 27 Liabilities: Other 8,274 8,177 Foreign exchange contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 131 1,799 Current liabilities: Other 42 — 242 1,835 8,457 8,360 Derivatives not designated as Yen in millions Balance sheet location Fair value Balance sheet location Fair value March 31 March 31 Asset derivatives 2019 2020 Liability derivatives 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 39 44 Current liabilities: Other 344 200 Interest rate contracts Other assets: Other 882 1,523 Liabilities: Other 3,637 9,120 Foreign exchange contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 8,807 19,655 Current liabilities: Other 11,549 14,580 Foreign exchange contracts Other assets: Other 72 49 Liabilities: Other 1,059 1,755 Equity contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets 444 18,886 Current liabilities: Other 7,776 1,476 Bond contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets — 306 Current liabilities: Other — 290 Commodity contracts Prepaid expenses and other current assets — 85 Current liabilities: Other — 85 10,244 40,548 24,365 27,506 Total derivatives 10,486 42,383 32,822 35,866
Effects of Derivative Instruments on Consolidated Statements of Income and Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income	Presented below are the effects of derivative instruments on the consolidated statements of income and the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Derivatives under fair value hedging relationships Yen in millions Location of gains or (losses) recognized Amounts of gains or (losses) recognized Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Financial services revenue (52 ) (1,835 ) (3,925 ) Total (52 ) (1,835 ) (3,925 ) Yen in millions Derivatives under cash flow hedging relationships Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Amounts recognized in unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments in OCI Foreign exchange contracts : Components included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness (2,295 ) 2,315 1,712 Components excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness that were recognized based on amortization approach — — 1,087 Total (2,295 ) 2,315 2,799 Derivatives under cash flow hedging relationships Yen in millions Affected line item in consolidated statements of income Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Amounts reclassified from unrealized Foreign exchange contracts : Components included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness Cost of sales 1,111 (1,093 ) — Net sales — — 106 Components excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness that were recognized based on amortization approach Net sales — — (1,087 ) Total 1,111 (1,093 ) (981 ) Derivatives not designated as Yen in millions Location of gains or (losses) recognized Amounts of gains or (losses) recognized Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Interest rate contracts Financial services revenue (1,544 ) (3,192 ) 1,190 Foreign exchange contracts Financial services revenue 2,013 (8,198 ) 2,473 Foreign exchange contracts Foreign exchange loss, net 21,370 (7,437 ) 10,184 Equity contracts Financial services revenue (11,665 ) (7,649 ) 15,438 Bond contracts Financial services revenue — — (2,954 ) Commodity contracts Financial services revenue — — 110 Total 10,174 (26,476 ) 26,441 Presented below are the amortized cost of hedged items, which are available-for-sale debt securities, and cumulative amount of fair value hedging adjustments to hedged items under fair value hedging relationships as of March 31, 2020. Derivatives under hedging relationships Yen in millions Balance sheet location of hedged items March 31, 2020 Amortized cost Cumulative effect to carrying amount of hedged items by fair value hedges Interest rate contracts Marketable securities 15,255 — Interest rate contracts Securities investments and other 91,080 — Total 106,335 —
Summary of Derivatives Additional Information Including Notional Amounts	The following table summarizes additional information, including notional amounts, for each type of derivative: Yen in millions March 31, 2019 March 31, 2020 Notional Fair value Notional Fair value Foreign exchange contracts: Foreign exchange forward contracts 701,880 (304 ) 740,464 4,361 Currency option contracts purchased 53,846 179 473 7 Currency option contracts written 58,825 (35 ) 460 (5 ) Currency swap agreements 959,777 (5,564 ) 893,874 (1,006 ) Other currency contracts 68,513 2,084 62,080 1,811 Interest rate contracts: Interest rate swap agreements 339,934 (11,346 ) 994,133 (16,019 ) Interest rate swaption agreements 5,300 (18 ) 18,700 (58 ) Equity contracts: Equity future contracts 58,725 308 63,354 (871 ) Equity swap agreements 63,107 (7,640 ) 103,409 18,281 Bond contracts: Bond — — 56,546 16 Commodity contracts: Commodity future contracts — — 1,465 0
Summary of Effects of Offsetting Derivative Assets, Derivative Liabilities, Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities	Yen in millions As of March 31, 2019 Gross amounts balance sheet Gross amounts not offset in the Financial Cash collateral Net amounts Derivative assets subject to master netting agreements 6,855 3,442 136 3,277 Derivative assets not subject to master netting agreements 3,631 3,631 Total assets 10,486 3,442 136 6,908 Derivative liabilities subject to master netting agreements 25,872 3,970 20,191 1,711 Derivative liabilities not subject to master netting agreements 6,950 6,950 Repurchase, securities lending and similar arrangements 432,820 432,820 — — Total liabilities 465,642 436,790 20,191 8,661 Yen in millions As of March 31, 2020 Gross amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheet Gross amounts not offset in the Financial Cash collateral Net amounts Derivative assets subject to master netting agreements 38,281 12,614 20,545 5,122 Derivative assets not subject to master netting agreements 4,102 4,102 Total assets 42,383 12,614 20,545 9,224 Derivative liabilities subject to master netting agreements 31,896 7,086 23,873 937 Derivative liabilities not subject to master netting agreements 3,970 3,970 Repurchase, securities lending and similar arrangements 567,194 564,874 — 2,320 Total liabilities 603,060 571,960 23,873 7,227

Pension and severance plans (Ta

Pension and severance plans (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs	The components of net periodic benefit costs for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Japanese plans Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Service cost 25,185 23,128 17,948 Interest cost 8,024 7,020 4,162 Expected return on plan assets (16,440 ) (16,695 ) (17,040 ) Recognized actuarial loss 16,099 15,365 12,969 Amortization of prior service costs (8,693 ) (7,864 ) (4,294 ) Losses on curtailments and settlements — — 6,358 Net periodic benefit costs 24,175 20,954 20,103 Foreign plans Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Service cost 3,181 2,780 3,616 Interest cost 10,393 10,083 9,212 Expected return on plan assets (11,687 ) (11,797 ) (10,916 ) Amortization of net transition asset 5 — — Recognized actuarial loss 3,014 2,656 2,606 Amortization of prior service costs (574 ) (269 ) 2 Losses on curtailments and settlements 1,058 1,804 68 Net periodic benefit costs 5,390 5,257 4,588
Changes in Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets as well as Funded Status and Composition of Amounts Recognized in Consolidated Balance Sheets	The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets as well as the funded status and composition of amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Change in benefit obligation: Benefit obligation at beginning of the fiscal year 1,010,574 1,034,954 356,397 351,918 Service cost 23,128 17,948 2,780 3,616 Interest cost 7,020 4,162 10,083 9,212 Plan participants’ contributions — — 462 487 Plan amendments — — — 10,210 Actuarial (gain) loss 29,295 (3,330 ) 1,700 19,776 Foreign currency exchange rate changes — — (1,554 ) (16,919 ) Curtailments and settlements — (359,205 ) (6,120 ) (4,434 ) Effect of changes in consolidated subsidiaries — — 1,947 — Other 6 2 — — Benefits paid (35,069 ) (35,668 ) (13,777 ) (14,055 ) Benefit obligation at end of the fiscal year 1,034,954 658,863 351,918 359,811 Change in plan assets: Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year 711,077 742,204 269,745 274,749 Actual return on plan assets 18,701 2,942 15,243 26,738 Foreign currency exchange rate changes — — (838 ) (14,904 ) Employer contribution 36,875 7,453 8,542 9,916 Plan participants’ contributions — — 462 487 Curtailments and settlements — (284,333 ) (5,960 ) (3,146 ) Benefits paid (24,449 ) (31,060 ) (12,445 ) (12,730 ) Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year 742,204 437,206 274,749 281,110 Funded status at end of the fiscal year (292,750 ) (221,657 ) (77,169 ) (78,701 )
Amounts Recognized in Consolidated Balance Sheets	Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Noncurrent assets 3,476 3,391 14,745 24,777 Current liabilities — — (4,412 ) (4,355 ) Noncurrent liabilities (296,226 ) (225,048 ) (87,502 ) (99,123 ) Ending balance (292,750 ) (221,657 ) (77,169 ) (78,701 )
Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Excluding Tax Effect	Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income, excluding tax effects, consist of: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Prior service cost (credit) (8,859 ) (369 ) (45 ) 10,058 Net actuarial loss 311,128 223,354 71,906 66,326 Ending balance 302,269 222,985 71,861 76,384
Accumulated Benefit Obligations for All Defined Benefit Pension Plans	The accumulated benefit obligations for all defined benefit pension plans were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Accumulated benefit obligations 1,029,910 654,209 336,185 354,100
Projected Benefit Obligations, Accumulated Benefit Obligations and Fair Value of Plan Assets for Pension Plans with Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets	The projected benefit obligations, the accumulated benefit obligations and fair value of plan assets for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Yen in millions Yen in millions March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Projected benefit obligations 1,022,235 645,544 200,596 230,058 Accumulated benefit obligations 1,017,191 640,890 196,928 226,080 Fair value of plan assets 726,009 420,497 123,937 130,955
Weighted-Average Assumptions Used to Determine Benefit Obligations and Net Periodic Benefit Costs	Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations as of March 31, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans March 31 March 31 2019 2020 2019 2020 Discount rate 0.6 % 0.6 % 2.8 % 2.0 % Rate of compensation increase * * 2.3 2.2 * Substantially all of Sony’s Japanese pension plans were point-based. Point-based plans do not incorporate a measure of compensation rate increases. Weighted-average assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit costs for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Fiscal year ended March 31 Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 2018 2019 2020 Discount rate 0.9 % 0.8 % 0.6 % 3.1 % 2.9 % 2.8 % Expected return on plan assets 2.4 2.6 2.6 4.6 4.4 4.2 Rate of compensation increase * * * 2.4 2.6 2.3 * Substantially all of Sony’s Japanese pension plans were point-based. Point-based plans do not incorporate a measure of compensation rate increases.
Fair Values of Assets Held by Japanese and Foreign Plans	The fair values of the assets held by Japanese and foreign plans, which are classified in accordance with the fair value hierarchy described in Note 2, are as follows: Japanese plans Yen in millions Fair value at March 31, 2019 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 10,689 10,689 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 140,559 135,713 4,846 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 210,817 — 210,817 — Corporate bonds *3 97,519 — 97,519 — Asset-backed securities *4 1,537 — 1,537 — Commingled funds *5 138,455 — 138,455 — Commodity funds *6 21,674 — 21,674 — Private equity *7 27,956 — — 27,956 Hedge funds *8 71,606 — — 71,606 Real estate and other *9 21,392 — — 21,392 Total 742,204 146,402 474,848 120,954 Japanese plans Yen in millions Fair value at March 31, 2020 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 24,851 24,851 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 50,646 47,308 3,338 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 107,478 1,087 106,391 — Corporate bonds *3 71,192 20 71,172 — Asset-backed securities *4 1,090 — 1,090 — Commingled funds *5 58,740 — 58,740 — Commodity funds *6 21,823 — 21,823 — Private equity *7 30,191 — — 30,191 Hedge funds *8 48,410 — — 48,410 Real estate and other *9 22,785 — (2,586 ) 25,371 Total 437,206 73,266 259,968 103,972 *1 Includes approximately 51 percent and 37 percent of Japanese equity securities, and 49 percent and 63 percent of foreign equity securities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *2 Includes approximately 48 percent and 36 percent of debt securities issued by Japanese national and local governments, and 52 percent and 64 percent of debt securities issued by foreign national and local governments for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *3 Includes debt securities issued by Japanese and foreign corporation and government related agencies. *4 Includes primarily mortgage-backed securities. *5 Commingled funds represent pooled institutional investments, including primarily investment trusts. They include approximately 50 percent and 50 percent of investments in equity, 49 percent and 45 percent of investments in fixed income, and 1 percent and 5 percent of investments in other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. *6 Represents commodity futures funds. *7 Includes multiple private equity funds of funds that primarily invest in venture, buyout, and distressed markets in the United States and Europe. *8 Includes primarily funds that invest in a portfolio of a broad range of hedge funds to diversify the risks and reduce the volatilities associated with a single hedge fund. *9 Includes primarily private real estate investment trusts. Foreign plans Yen in millions Fair value at 2019 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 4,340 4,340 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 23,766 23,113 653 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 84,761 — 84,761 — Corporate bonds *3 32,749 — 32,749 — Asset-backed securities 1,115 — 1,115 — Insurance contracts *4 18,308 — 5,814 12,494 Commingled funds *5 76,503 — 76,503 — Real estate and other *6 33,207 — 11,118 22,089 Total 274,749 27,453 212,713 34,583 Foreign plans Yen in millions Fair value at 2020 Fair value measurements using inputs considered as Asset class Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Cash and cash equivalents 4,632 4,632 — — Equity: Equity securities *1 18,380 17,762 618 — Fixed income: Government bonds *2 93,826 — 93,826 — Corporate bonds *3 31,769 — 31,769 — Asset-backed securities 1,320 — 1,320 — Insurance contracts *4 19,334 — 7,156 12,178 Commingled funds *5 78,280 — 78,280 — Real estate and other *6 33,569 — 11,272 22,297 Total 281,110 22,394 224,241 34,475 *1 Includes primarily foreign equity securities. *2 Includes primarily foreign government debt securities. *3 Includes primarily foreign corporate debt securities. *4 Represents annuity contracts with or without profit sharing. *5 Commingled funds represent pooled institutional investments including mutual funds, common trust funds, and collective investment funds. They are primarily comprised of foreign equities and fixed income investments. *6 Includes primarily private real estate investment trusts.
Summary of Changes in Fair Values of Japanese and Foreign Plans' Level Three Assets	The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the fair values of Japanese and foreign plans’ level 3 assets for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020: Japanese plans Yen in millions Fair value measurement using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) Private equity Hedge funds Real estate and other Total Beginning balance at April 1, 2018 24,144 70,204 19,431 113,779 Return on assets held at end of year 4,428 659 1,622 6,709 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (616 ) 743 339 466 Ending balance at March 31, 2019 27,956 71,606 21,392 120,954 Return on assets held at end of year 2,649 (648 ) 418 2,419 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (414 ) (22,548 ) 3,561 (19,401 ) Ending balance at March 31, 2020 30,191 48,410 25,371 103,972 Foreign plans Yen in millions Fair value measurement using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) Insurance Corporate bonds Real estate and other Total Beginning balance at April 1, 2018 12,729 5,303 25,976 44,008 Return on assets held at end of year 736 — 559 1,295 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (389 ) — (3,809 ) (4,198 ) Transfers, net — (5,540 ) 123 (5,417 ) Other * (582 ) 237 (760 ) (1,105 ) Ending balance at March 31, 2019 12,494 — 22,089 34,583 Return on assets held at end of year 559 — 132 691 Purchases, sales, and settlements, net (373 ) — 755 382 Transfers, net — — — — Other * (502 ) — (679 ) (1,181 ) Ending balance at March 31, 2020 12,178 — 22,297 34,475 * Primarily consists of translation adjustments.
Expected Future Benefit Payments	The expected future benefit payments are as follows: Japanese plans Foreign plans Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions Yen in millions 2021 37,384 20,825 2022 36,228 104,988 2023 36,985 12,089 2024 38,271 12,269 2025 37,216 13,074 2026 — 2030 185,218 112,218
Total Defined Contribution Expenses	Total defined contribution expenses for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Japanese plans 3,237 3,353 6,925 Foreign plans 11,379 11,602 10,313

Stockholders' equity (Tables)

Stockholders' equity (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Equity [Abstract]
Changes in Number of Shares of Common Stock Issued and Outstanding	Changes in the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 have resulted from the following: Number of shares Balance at March 31, 2017 1,263,763,660 Issuance of new shares 218,000 Exercise of stock acquisition rights 2,565,700 Conversion of convertible bonds 4,789 Balance at March 31, 2018 1,266,552,149 Issuance of new shares 149,900 Exercise of stock acquisition rights 4,525,300 Conversion of convertible bonds 2,992 Balance at March 31, 2019 1,271,230,341 Issuance of new shares 184,900 Exercise of stock acquisition rights 2,294,900 Conversion of convertible bonds 86,040 Cancellation of treasury stock (12,737,400 ) Balance at March 31, 2020 1,261,058,781
Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax	Changes in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, by component for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Unrealized Unrealized Pension Foreign Total Balance at March 31, 2017 126,635 (58 ) (308,736 ) (436,610 ) (618,769 ) Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 2,013 (2,295 ) 1,779 (4,480 ) (2,983 ) Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income * (943 ) 1,111 10,611 (1,855 ) 8,924 Net other comprehensive income 1,070 (1,184 ) 12,390 (6,335 ) 5,941 Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests 1,514 — 98 2,306 3,918 Balance at March 31, 2018 126,191 (1,242 ) (296,444 ) (445,251 ) (616,746 ) Yen in millions Unrealized Unrealized Pension Adjustment Foreign Total Balance at March 31, 2018 126,191 (1,242 ) (296,444 ) (445,251 ) (616,746 ) Cumulative effect of ASU2016-01 (15,526 ) — — — (15,526 ) Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 33,124 2,316 (23,448 ) 10,071 22,063 Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income * 161 (1,093 ) 9,488 (1,627 ) 6,929 Net other comprehensive income 33,285 1,223 (13,960 ) 8,444 28,992 Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests 8,915 — 53 (1,578 ) 7,390 Balance at March 31, 2019 135,035 (19 ) (310,457 ) (435,229 ) (610,670 ) Yen in millions Unrealized Unrealized Pension Foreign Debt Total Balance at March 31, 2019 135,035 (19 ) (310,457 ) (435,229 ) — (610,670 ) Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 40,334 1,193 (17,519 ) (75,814 ) 3,032 (48,774 ) Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income * 56 74 92,490 (74 ) — 92,546 Net other comprehensive income 40,390 1,267 74,971 (75,888 ) 3,032 43,772 Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests 14,234 — 34 (1,245 ) 1,059 14,082 Balance at March 31, 2020 161,191 1,248 (235,520 ) (509,872 ) 1,973 (580,980 ) * Foreign currency translation adjustments were transferred from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income as a result of a complete or substantially complete liquidation or sale of certain foreign subsidiaries and affiliates.
Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Comprehensive income components Amounts reclassified from Affected line items in consolidated statements of income 2018 2019 2020 Unrealized gains (losses) on securities (646 ) 235 82 Financial services revenue (561 ) — — Gain on sale of securities investments, net Total before tax (1,207 ) 235 82 Tax expense or (benefit) 264 (74 ) (26 ) Net of tax (943 ) 161 56 Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments 1,111 (1,093 ) — Cost of sales — — 106 Net sales Total before tax 1,111 (1,093 ) 106 Tax expense or (benefit) — — (32 ) Net of tax 1,111 (1,093 ) 74 Pension liability adjustment 11,034 9,891 92,514 * Tax expense or (benefit) (423 ) (403 ) (24 ) Net of tax 10,611 9,488 92,490 Foreign currency translation adjustments (1,855 ) (1,627 ) (74 ) Foreign exchange loss, net and other operating (income) expense, net Tax expense or (benefit) — — — Net of tax (1,855 ) (1,627 ) (74 ) Total amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax 8,924 6,929 92,546 * The amortization of pension and postretirement benefit components is
Net Income Attributable to Sony Corporation's Stockholders and Transfers (to) from Noncontrolling Interests	Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders and transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders 490,794 916,271 582,191 Transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests: Increase (decrease) in additional paid-in (74 ) (22,775 ) 16,372 Change from net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders and transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests 490,720 893,496 598,563

Stock-based compensation plans

Stock-based compensation plans (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Weighted-Average Assumptions used to Determine Fair Value of Stock Acquisition Rights Granted	The fair value of stock acquisition rights granted on the date of grant and used to recognize compensation expense for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Weighted-average assumptions Risk-free interest rate 1.14 % 1.37 % 0.70 % Expected lives 6.55 years 5.98 years 5.73 years Expected volatility * 38.49 % 32.52 % 29.30 % Expected dividends 0.40 % 0.35 % 0.32 % * Expected volatility was based on the historical volatilities of Sony Corporation’s common stock over the expected life of the stock acquisition rights.
Summary of Activities Regarding Stock Acquisition Rights Plan	A summary of the activities regarding the stock acquisition rights plan during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 is as follows: Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Number of Weighted- Weighted- Total intrinsic value Yen Years Yen in millions Outstanding at beginning of the fiscal year 12,213,900 3,665 Granted 3,279,700 6,669 Exercised 2,294,900 3,294 Forfeited or expired 322,000 5,500 Outstanding at end of the fiscal year 12,876,700 4,982 7.52 19,459 Exercisable at end of the fiscal year 6,235,700 3,581 6.43 15,552

Revenue (Tables)

Revenue (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Schedule of Receivables from contracts with customers, Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities	Receivables from contracts with customers, contract assets and contract liabilities are comprised of the following: Yen in millions March 3 2019 March 31, 2020 Receivables from contracts with customers *1 1,183,115 1,126,597 Contract assets *1 19,147 13,985 Contract liabilities *2 254,646 271,286 *1 Receivables from contracts with customers and contract assets are included in the consolidated balance sheets as “Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets” and “Other”, non-current. *2 Contract liabilities are included in the consolidated balance sheets as “Other”, both current and non-current.
Summary of Remaining Performance Obligations that are Unsatisfied	The following table shows the summary of the transaction prices allocated to remaining performance obligations that are unsatisfied at March 31, 2020, of which more than half are expected to be recognized within one year and substantially all within three years. Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Pictures — Motion Pictures and Television Productions *1 569,081 Pictures — Media Networks 22,333 Music *2 44,971 Others 47,126 *1 For Motion Pictures and Television Productions in the Pictures segment, Sony has included all contracts regardless of duration. *2 Amount included in the Music segment primarily consists of minimum royalty guarantees or fixed fees in contracts related to license revenue for ongoing access to an evolving library of content. These contracts also include the potential for sales-based or usage-based royalties to exceed the minimum guarantees, and these additional royalties are excluded from the amount above, of which substantially all are recognized as revenue within three years.
Schedule of Contract Costs	Contract costs are comprised as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2019 March 31, 2020 Incremental costs of obtaining a contract 6,581 7,464

Restructuring charges (Tables)

Restructuring charges (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Changes in Accrued Restructuring Charges	The changes in the accrued restructuring charges for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Employee Non-cash * Other Total Balance at March 31, 2017 11,634 — 9,167 20,801 Restructuring costs 18,999 2,233 1,147 22,379 Non-cash — (2,233 ) — (2,233 ) Cash payments (9,950 ) — (6,352 ) (16,302 ) Adjustments (1,197 ) — 226 (971 ) Balance at March 31, 2018 19,486 — 4,188 23,674 Restructuring costs 24,449 2,731 5,825 33,005 Non-cash — (2,731 ) — (2,731 ) Cash payments (19,150 ) — (2,555 ) (21,705 ) Adjustments 955 — (357 ) 598 Balance at March 31, 2019 25,740 — 7,101 32,841 Restructuring costs 22,957 100 1,653 24,710 Non-cash — (100 ) — (100 ) Cash payments (23,385 ) — (6,703 ) (30,088 ) Adjustments (674 ) — (131 ) (805 ) Balance at March 31, 2020 24,638 — 1,920 26,558 * Significant asset impairments excluded from restructuring charges are described in Note 13.
Total Costs Incurred in Connection with Restructuring Programs by Segment	Total costs incurred in connection with these restructuring programs by segment for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 Employee Other associated * Total net Depreciation Total Game & Network Services — — — — — Music 6,358 272 6,630 — 6,630 Pictures 2,922 — 2,922 — 2,922 Electronics Products & Solutions 3,384 118 3,502 0 3,502 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 28 — 28 — 28 Financial Services — — — — — All Other and Corporate 6,307 2,990 9,297 26 9,323 Total 18,999 3,380 22,379 26 22,405 Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 Employee Other associated * Total net Depreciation Total Game & Network Services — — — — — Music 2,991 201 3,192 — 3,192 Pictures 4,795 — 4,795 — 4,795 Electronics Products & Solutions 11,437 4,574 16,011 86 16,097 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — — — — — Financial Services — — — — — All Other and Corporate 5,226 3,781 9,007 — 9,007 Total 24,449 8,556 33,005 86 33,091 Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 Employee Other associated * Total net Depreciation Total Game & Network Services — — — — — Music 3,179 6 3,185 — 3,185 Pictures 545 — 545 — 545 Electronics Products & Solutions 14,500 227 14,727 — 14,727 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — — — — — Financial Services — — — — — All Other and Corporate 4,733 1,520 6,253 256 6,509 Total 22,957 1,753 24,710 256 24,966 * Other associated costs includes non-cash

Supplemental consolidated sta_2

Supplemental consolidated statements of income information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Components of Other Operating (Income) Expense, Net	Other operating (income) Yen in millions March 31 2018 2019 2020 Gain on sale of Sony City Osaki *1 (4,914 ) — — Gain on remeasurement of EMI shares *2 — (116,939 ) — Gain on remeasurement and sale of SRE shares *3 — — (17,266 ) Gain on remeasurement of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. shares *4 — — (1,827 ) (Gain) loss on purchase/sale of interests in subsidiaries and affiliates, net *5 (29,613 ) (1,557 ) (12,801 ) (Gain) loss on sale, disposal or impairment of assets, net *6 38,599 46,928 29,778 Other — — (1,495 ) 4,072 (71,568 ) (3,611 ) *1 A portion of gain on sale and leaseback transactions is deferred and is amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. *2 Refer to Notes 5 and 25. *3 Refer to Note 5. *4 Refer to Notes 5 and 25. *5 Refer to Notes 25 and 26. *6 Refer to Notes 9, 13, 20 and 26.

Income taxes (Tables)

Income taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Components of Domestic and Foreign Income and Provision for Current and Deferred Income Taxes	Domestic and foreign components of income before income taxes and the provision for current and deferred income taxes attributable to such income are summarized as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Income before income taxes: Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan 436,494 310,020 466,253 Foreign subsidiaries 262,555 701,628 333,197 699,049 1,011,648 799,450 Income taxes—Current: Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan 69,697 82,081 105,755 Foreign subsidiaries 57,988 84,667 66,636 127,685 166,748 172,391 Income taxes—Deferred: Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan 29,640 17,907 9,421 Foreign subsidiaries (5,555 ) (139,557 ) (4,622 ) 24,085 (121,650 ) 4,799 Total income tax expense 151,770 45,098 177,190
Reconciliation of Statutory Tax Rate and Effective Tax Rate	A reconciliation of the differences between the Japanese statutory tax rate and the effective tax rate is as follows: Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Statutory tax rate 31.5 % 31.5 % 31.5 % Non-deductible 0.8 0.7 0.3 Income tax credits (0.6 ) (1.6 ) (1.7 ) Change in statutory tax rate and law (1.2 ) (0.3 ) (0.4 ) Change in valuation allowances (other than the 2019 reversal of Sony Americas Holding Inc. (“SAHI”) and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group below) (5.2 ) 2.3 (8.1 ) The 2019 reversal of valuation allowances of SAHI and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group — (15.3 ) — Change in deferred tax liabilities on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures (0.8 ) (0.1 ) 0.2 Lower tax rate applied to life and non-life (0.8 ) (0.5 ) (0.6 ) Foreign income tax differential (2.6 ) (6.4 ) (2.4 ) Adjustments to tax reserves (0.8 ) (0.3 ) 0.9 Effect of equity in net income of affiliated companies 0.0 0.0 0.0 The remeasurement gain for the equity interest in EMI — (2.4 ) — Japan controlled foreign company taxation — 0.0 5.3 Other 1.4 (3.1 ) (2.8 ) Effective income tax rate 21.7 % 4.5 % 22.2 %
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities	The significant components of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Deferred tax assets: Operating loss carryforwards for tax purposes 413,494 348,714 Accrued pension and severance costs 103,652 77,559 Amortization including film costs 86,196 65,349 Lease liability — 100,720 Warranty reserves and accrued expenses 108,515 116,234 Future insurance policy benefits 36,683 42,056 Inventory 19,716 15,512 Depreciation 34,638 39,085 Tax credit carryforwards 117,471 94,900 Loss on equity securities — 11,815 Reserve for doubtful accounts 9,136 9,090 Impairment of investments 12,278 6,029 Deferred revenue 19,081 24,420 Other 169,897 122,591 Gross deferred tax assets 1,130,757 1,074,074 Less: Valuation allowance (723,114 ) (608,243 ) Total deferred tax assets 407,643 465,831 Deferred tax liabilities: Insurance acquisition costs (169,244 ) (170,868 ) Future insurance policy benefits (181,052 ) (193,315 ) Unbilled accounts receivable in the Pictures segment (44,842 ) (26,214 ) Right-of-use assets — (96,970 ) Unrealized gains on securities (75,573 ) (92,791 ) Gain on equity securities (33,082 ) — Intangible assets acquired through stock exchange offerings (23,949 ) (23,949 ) Intangible assets derived from EMI Music Publishing acquisition (93,979 ) (89,909 ) Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures (15,758 ) (25,359 ) Investment in M3 (37,007 ) (38,303 ) Other (62,092 ) (47,319 ) Gross deferred tax liabilities (736,578 ) (804,997 ) Net deferred tax liabilities (328,935 ) (339,166 )
Reconciliation of Beginning and Ending Gross Amounts of Unrecognized Tax Benefits	A reconciliation of the beginning and ending gross amounts of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows: Yen in millions March 31 2018 2019 2020 Balance at beginning of the fiscal year 119,529 95,425 50,577 Reductions for tax positions of prior years (8,809 ) (31,396 ) (331 ) Additions for tax positions of prior years 4,681 3,094 162 Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 5,740 2,594 8,074 Settlements (21,893 ) (4,235 ) (13,240 ) Lapse in statute of limitations (3,469 ) (14,824 ) (1,251 ) Foreign currency translation adjustments (354 ) (81 ) (2,723 ) Balance at end of the fiscal year 95,425 50,577 41,268 Total net amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate 39,308 35,004 29,539

Reconciliation of the differe_2

Reconciliation of the differences between basic and diluted EPS (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Reconciliation of Differences between Basic and Diluted EPS	Reconciliation of the differences between basic and diluted EPS for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 is as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders for basic and diluted EPS computation 490,794 916,271 582,191 Thousands of shares Weighted-average shares outstanding 1,263,895 1,266,592 1,234,408 Effect of dilutive securities: Stock acquisition rights 4,565 4,088 3,853 Zero coupon convertible bonds 23,960 23,966 23,994 Weighted-average shares for diluted EPS computation 1,292,420 1,294,646 1,262,255 Yen Basic EPS 388.32 723.41 471.64 Diluted EPS 379.75 707.74 461.23

Variable interest entities (Tab

Variable interest entities (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Summary of the Carrying Value of the Variable Interests	The following tables present the carrying value of the variable interests of unconsolidated VIEs, the presentation in the consolidated balance sheet, and the maximum exposure to loss associated with these variable interests as of March 31, 2019 and 2020. Maximum exposure to loss does not reflect Sony’s estimate of the actual losses that could result from adverse changes, nor does it reflect the economic hedges Sony enters into to reduce its exposure. The risks associated with VIEs in which Sony is involved are limited to the amount recorded in the consolidated balance sheets and the amount of commitments. Yen in millions March 31, 2019 Presentation in the consolidated balance Maximum Marketable securities Securities investments and other Prepaid expenses and other current assets Equity securities *1 135,552 8,485 — 146,031 Securitized products — 191,049 — 195,190 Foreign corporate bonds *2 29,889 65,503 — 95,392 Other investments — 4,688 21,000 25,688 Total 165,441 269,725 21,000 462,301 Yen in millions March 31, 2020 Presentation in the consolidated balance Maximum Marketable securities Securities investments and other Prepaid expenses and other current assets Equity securities *1 579,773 6,229 — 587,602 Securitized products — 210,641 — 210,641 Foreign corporate bonds *2 41,452 41,036 — 82,488 Other investments — 16,253 21,000 43,719 Total 621,225 274,159 21,000 924,450 *1 Equity securities include Investment funds. *2 Foreign corporate bonds include repackaged bonds.

Acquisitions (Tables)

Acquisitions (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Summary of Purchase Price Allocation	Yen in millions Acquired assets (Preliminary) Measurement Acquired assets (Final) Cash and cash equivalents 12,971 12,971 Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets 32,287 32,287 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 10,220 (98 ) 10,122 Securities investments and other 1,476 1,476 Intangibles, net 420,534 420,534 Goodwill 237,271 (1,206 ) 236,065 Other 10,023 10,023 Total assets 724,782 (1,304 ) 723,478 Notes and accounts payable, trade 1,731 1,731 Accounts payable, other and accrued expenses 70,675 70,675 Accrued income and other taxes 3,082 (69 ) 3,013 Long-term debt 148,621 148,621 Accrued pension and severance costs 1,947 1,947 Deferred income taxes 94,849 (1,235 ) 93,614 Other 5,564 5,564 Total liabilities 326,469 (1,304 ) 325,165
Unaudited Supplemental Pro Forma Financial Information	The following unaudited supplemental pro forma financial information presents the combined results of operations of Sony and EMI as though the acquisition had occurred as of the beginning of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018: Yen in millions, Yen per share amounts Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 Net sales 8,612,280 8,738,209 Operating income 854,786 801,973 Net income attributable to Sony Corporation’s stockholders 584,019 817,629 Per share data: — Basic EPS 462.08 645.53 — Diluted EPS 451.88 631.55
Acquisition of equity interests in joint ventures in the life insurance business
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Summary of Purchase Price Allocation	The following table summarizes the fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities of the JVs that were recorded in the Financial Services segment. Yen in millions Cash and cash equivalents 27,380 Marketable securities 530,851 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 21,933 Securities investments and other 15,329 Goodwill 3,609 Other 406 Total assets 599,508 Future insurance policy benefits and other 66,599 Policyholders’ account in the life insurance business 495,248 Other 4,979 Total liabilities 566,826

Commitments, contingent liabi_2

Commitments, contingent liabilities and other (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Aggregate Amounts of Year-by-Year Payment of Purchase Commitments	The schedule of the aggregate amounts of year-by-year Fiscal year ending March 31 Yen in millions 2021 378,319 2022 103,033 2023 76,541 2024 49,549 2025 36,936 Later fiscal years 40,533 Total 684,911
Changes in Product Warranty Liability	In addition to the above, Sony also issues contractual product warranties under which it generally guarantees the performance of products delivered and services rendered for a certain period or term. The changes in the product warranty liability for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Balance at beginning of the fiscal year 57,694 44,717 33,005 Additional liabilities for warranties 32,179 23,041 21,448 Settlements (in cash or in kind) (30,570 ) (26,326 ) (21,491 ) Changes in estimate for pre-existing (16,802 ) (7,370 ) (562 ) Translation adjustments 2,216 (1,057 ) (593 ) Balance at end of the fiscal year 44,717 33,005 31,807

Business segment information (T

Business segment information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Components of Segment Sales and Operating Revenue	Segment sales and operating revenue: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales and operating revenue: Game & Network Services — Customers 1,848,298 2,224,622 1,919,760 Intersegment 95,514 86,250 57,791 Total 1,943,812 2,310,872 1,977,551 Music — Customers 784,792 795,025 838,592 Intersegment 15,203 12,464 11,317 Total 799,995 807,489 849,909 Pictures — Customers 1,010,173 985,270 1,010,714 Intersegment 894 1,603 1,140 Total 1,011,067 986,873 1,011,854 Electronics Products & Solutions — Customers 2,582,813 2,303,167 1,969,880 Intersegment 17,542 17,461 21,388 Total 2,600,355 2,320,628 1,991,268 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — Customers 726,892 770,622 985,259 Intersegment 123,118 108,708 85,317 Total 850,010 879,330 1,070,576 Financial Services — Customers 1,221,235 1,274,708 1,299,847 Intersegment 7,142 7,831 7,901 Total 1,228,377 1,282,539 1,307,748 All Other — Customers 351,527 299,806 214,999 Intersegment 55,647 45,931 36,421 Total 407,174 345,737 251,420 Corporate and elimination (296,808 ) (267,781 ) (200,441 ) Consolidated total 8,543,982 8,665,687 8,259,885
Components of Segment Profit or Loss	Segment profit or loss: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Operating income (loss): Game & Network Services 177,478 311,092 238,400 Music 127,786 232,487 142,345 Pictures 41,110 54,599 68,157 Electronics Products & Solutions 133,129 76,508 87,276 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 164,023 143,874 235,584 Financial Services 178,947 161,477 129,597 All Other (23,530 ) (11,127 ) 16,288 Total 798,943 968,910 917,647 Corporate and elimination (64,083 ) (74,675 ) (72,188 ) Consolidated operating income 734,860 894,235 845,459 Other income 23,728 144,735 21,949 Other expenses (59,539 ) (27,322 ) (67,958 ) Consolidated income before income taxes 699,049 1,011,648 799,450
Components of Other Significant Items	Other significant items: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies: Game & Network Services — — — Music 4,483 (6,915 ) 4,239 Pictures (129 ) 106 (629 ) Electronics Products & Solutions (102 ) (38 ) 136 Imaging & Sensing Solutions — — 0 Financial Services (61 ) (682 ) (104 ) All Other 4,378 4,530 5,995 Consolidated total 8,569 (2,999 ) 9,637 Depreciation and amortization: Game & Network Services 29,091 29,023 29,135 Music 18,230 21,259 29,137 Pictures 24,458 24,081 21,665 Electronics Products & Solutions 64,279 61,749 63,291 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 99,258 110,746 134,035 Financial Services, including deferred insurance acquisition costs 79,843 91,179 106,667 All Other 5,910 4,940 5,095 Total 321,069 342,977 389,025 Corporate 40,375 31,049 27,617 Consolidated total 361,444 374,026 416,642
Sales and Operating Revenue to External Customers by Product Category	The following table is a breakdown of sales and operating revenue to external customers by product category for each segment. Sony management views each segment as a single operating segment. Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales and operating revenue: Game & Network Services Digital Software and Add-on 762,220 1,102,231 1,010,296 Network Services 270,972 326,524 337,265 Hardware and Others 815,106 795,867 572,199 Total 1,848,298 2,224,622 1,919,760 Music Recorded Music — Streaming 197,439 227,513 276,039 Recorded Music — Others 249,521 199,413 191,114 Music Publishing 74,360 106,666 157,478 Visual Media and Platform 263,472 261,433 213,961 Total 784,792 795,025 838,592 Pictures Motion Pictures 448,945 436,017 475,061 Television Productions 289,024 288,816 301,224 Media Networks 272,204 260,437 234,429 Total 1,010,173 985,270 1,010,714 Electronics Products & Solutions Televisions 861,763 788,423 646,513 Audio and Video 357,194 362,580 346,060 Still and Video Cameras 415,318 421,506 384,142 Mobile Communications 713,916 487,330 362,144 Other 234,622 243,328 231,021 Total 2,582,813 2,303,167 1,969,880 Imaging & Sensing Solutions 726,892 770,622 985,259 Financial Services 1,221,235 1,274,708 1,299,847 All Other 351,527 299,806 214,999 Corporate 18,252 12,467 20,834 Consolidated total 8,543,982 8,665,687 8,259,885
Sales and Operating Revenue Attributed to Countries and Areas Based on Location of External Customers and Long-Lived Assets	Sales and operating revenue attributed to countries and areas based on location of external customers for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020 and property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets as of March 31, 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Yen in millions Fiscal year ended March 31 2018 2019 2020 Sales and operating revenue: Japan 2,625,619 2,591,784 2,472,479 United States 1,835,705 1,982,135 1,864,390 Europe 1,841,457 1,862,166 1,697,791 China 674,718 770,416 845,235 Asia-Pacific 1,024,179 912,193 892,026 Other Areas 542,304 546,993 487,964 Total 8,543,982 8,665,687 8,259,885 Yen in millions March 31 2019 2020 Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets*: Japan 590,694 946,922 United States 113,581 214,226 Europe 22,622 67,799 China 11,694 17,996 Asia-Pacific 34,273 46,932 Other Areas 4,189 7,379 Total 777,053 1,301,254 * As of March 31, 2020, the amounts include operating lease right-of-use assets, which were recognized from April 1, 2019 onward as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-02.

Summary of Significant Accoun_3

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Apr. 01, 2020	Apr. 01, 2019
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Description of evaluating factors in relation to available for sale securities	if the fair value of the security is 20 percent or more below its original cost for an extended period of time (generally for a period of up to six months)
Percentage of other-than-temporary fair value of security	20.00%
Operating lease right-of-use assets	¥ 359,510		¥ 316,923
Lease liabilities for operating leases	¥ 383,778		341,251
Deferred rent for leases			¥ 24,328
Subsequent event | Accounting Standards Update 2019 02 [Member] | Pictures [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclassification of broadcasting rights to fim costs		¥ 24,100
Subsequent event | Accounting Standards Update 2019 02 [Member] | Music [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclasificaiton of animation Film Production Costs to film costs		¥ 7,400
Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period of intangible assets	3 years
Minimum | Buildings
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful lives for depreciation	2 years
Minimum | Machinery, equipment and others
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful lives for depreciation	2 years
Minimum | Patent rights; know-how; license agreements; trademarks; software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed, and internal-use software
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period of intangible assets	3 years
Minimum | Customer relationships, music catalogs, artist contracts and television carriage contracts (broadcasting agreements)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period of intangible assets	10 years
Maximum | Buildings
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful lives for depreciation	50 years
Maximum | Machinery, equipment and others
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful lives for depreciation	10 years
Maximum | Patent rights; know-how; license agreements; trademarks; software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed, and internal-use software
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period of intangible assets	10 years
Maximum | Customer relationships, music catalogs, artist contracts and television carriage contracts (broadcasting agreements)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period of intangible assets	44 years

Inventories (Summary of Invento

Inventories (Summary of Inventories) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Finished products	¥ 345,231	¥ 407,295
Work in process	149,969	154,178
Raw materials, purchased components and supplies	94,769	91,805
Inventories	¥ 589,969	¥ 653,278

Film Costs (Summary of Film Cos

Film Costs (Summary of Film Costs) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Motion picture productions:
Released	¥ 99,482	¥ 87,158
Completed and not released	18,776	3,189
In production and development	67,199	130,736
Television productions:
Released	186,344	144,316
In production and development	25,093	9,147
Broadcasting rights	61,959	70,401
Less: current portion included in inventories	(31,517)	(35,942)
Film costs	¥ 427,336	¥ 409,005

Film Costs - Additional Informa

Film Costs - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Billions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Film Costs [Abstract]
Unamortized film costs of released motion picture and television productions	92.00%
Completed film costs expected to be amortized during the next twelve months	¥ 217
Accrued participation liabilities expected to be paid in next twelve months	¥ 163

Investments in Affiliated Com_3

Investments in Affiliated Companies (Summarized Combined Financial Information Provided by Equity Investees) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Jan. 29, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 19, 2019
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Current assets	¥ 389,195	¥ 355,320
Noncurrent assets	164,852	608,626
Current liabilities	194,219	188,905
Noncurrent liabilities and noncontrolling interests	60,469	584,714
Percentage of ownership in equity investees				50.00%	44.50%	56.30%
Net revenues	387,678	390,457	¥ 468,933
Operating income	58,431	53,920	56,729
Net income attributable to controlling interests	¥ 34,916	¥ 5,539	¥ 27,301
Minimum
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership in equity investees	20.00%	20.00%	20.00%
Maximum
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership in equity investees	50.00%	50.00%	50.00%

Investments in Affiliated Com_4

Investments in Affiliated Companies - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)Entity	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)Entity	Mar. 31, 2018JPY (¥)	Jan. 29, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 19, 2019	Nov. 14, 2018	Apr. 01, 2015
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest				50.00%	44.50%	56.30%
Gain Loss on remeasurement or sale of shares	¥ 17,266
Aggregate carrying value of investments in several affiliated companies	141,508
Fair value of investments in several affiliated companies	¥ 756,073
Number of affiliated companies accounted for under the equity method | Entity	140	133
Dividends received from affiliated companies	¥ 4,523	¥ 4,948	¥ 5,613
DH Publishing, L.P.
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest							60.00%
Sony Life Insurance Co Ltd
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest				50.00%
SA Reinsurance Ltd
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest				50.00%
M3, Inc.
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Difference between carrying value and underlying net assets	¥ 56,140
Difference between carrying value and underlying net assets, accounting treatment for amounts allocated to intangible assets	The amounts allocated to intangible assets are amortized net of the related tax effects to equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies over their respective estimated useful lives, principally 10 years, using the straight-line method.
SFI Leasing Company, Limited
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest	34.00%
MITSUI-SOKO Supply Chain Solutions, Inc
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest								34.00%
MITSUI-SOKO Supply Chain Solutions, Inc | General and Administrative Expenses
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Related party transaction, amounts of transaction	¥ 6,069	10,606
MITSUI-SOKO Supply Chain Solutions, Inc | Accrued Expenses
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Related party transaction, account balances	¥ 1,181	¥ 3,435

Investments in Affiliated Com_5

Investments in Affiliated Companies (Account Balances and Transactions with Affiliated Companies Accounted for under Equity Method) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Apr. 01, 2019
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		¥ 810,176	¥ 618,618
Finance lease liabilities and other		39,083
Operating lease liabilities		383,778			¥ 341,251
Equity Method Investee
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Accounts receivable, trade		12,030	12,404
Other receivables		1,589	134
Other current assets		9,757	33
Accounts payable, trade		1,497	1,087
Short-term borrowings		31,557	29,744
Finance lease liabilities and other	[1]	34,564	20,265
Operating lease liabilities		2,393
Sales		35,951	41,437	¥ 45,415
Purchases		¥ 3,479	¥ 5,584	¥ 3,180
[1]	Finance lease liabilities and other were represented as Capital lease obligations as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019.

Transfer of Financial Assets -

Transfer of Financial Assets - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Transfers and Servicing [Abstract]
Trade accounts receivable sold	¥ 65,214	¥ 81,947	¥ 84,718

Marketable Securities and Sec_3

Marketable Securities and Securities Investments (Aggregate Cost, Gross Unrealized Gains and Losses and Fair Value Pertaining to Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	¥ 7,418,512	¥ 6,842,072
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized gains	2,462,696	2,080,142
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized losses	(6,572)	(19,587)
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value	9,874,636	8,902,627
Marketable securities and securities investments, Cost	10,021,664	9,240,711
Marketable securities and securities investments, Gross unrealized gains	2,775,728	2,330,395
Marketable securities and securities investments, Gross unrealized losses	(9,943)	(20,843)
Marketable securities and securities investments, Fair value	12,787,449	11,550,263
Debt securities
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	2,603,152	2,398,639
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	313,032	250,253
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized losses	(3,371)	(1,256)
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	2,912,813	2,647,636
Japanese national government bonds
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	6,204,505	6,042,635
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized gains	2,098,885	2,016,786
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized losses	(1,397)
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value	8,301,993	8,059,421
Japanese national government bonds | Debt securities
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	1,552,036	1,422,620
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	210,459	220,989
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized losses	(566)	(20)
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	1,761,929	1,643,589
Japanese local government bonds
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	2,504	3,518
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized gains	331	388
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value	2,835	3,906
Japanese local government bonds | Debt securities
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	69,132	67,461
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	73	70
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized losses	(33)	(34)
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	69,172	67,497
Japanese corporate bonds
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	482,050	409,329
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized gains	61,176	44,348
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized losses	(4,754)	(5,845)
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value	538,472	447,832
Japanese corporate bonds | Debt securities
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	202,164	202,433
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	19,112	17,178
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized losses	(567)	(223)
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	220,709	219,388
Foreign government bonds
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	723,937	386,392
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized gains	302,297	18,609
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized losses		(13,742)
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value	1,026,234	391,259
Foreign government bonds | Debt securities
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	198,777	153,429
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	81,014	8,669
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized losses	(14)	(603)
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	279,777	161,495
Foreign corporate bonds
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	98	198
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized gains	7	11
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value	105	209
Foreign corporate bonds | Debt securities
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	361,422	360,299
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	507	944
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized losses	(2,179)	(376)
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	359,750	360,867
Securitized products
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized losses	(12)
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	5,418
Held-to-maturity securities, Gross unrealized losses	(421)
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value	4,997
Securitized products | Debt securities
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	205,223	190,111
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	0	1
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	205,223	190,112
Other
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale securities, Cost	14,398	2,286
Available-for-Sale securities, Gross unrealized gains	1,867	2,402
Available-for-Sale securities, Fair value	¥ 16,253	¥ 4,688

Marketable Securities and Sec_4

Marketable Securities and Securities Investments (Cost and Fair Value of Debt Securities Classified as Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities by Contractual Maturity) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Available for Sale Securities, Cost
Due in one year or less	¥ 145,867
Due after one year through five years	432,281
Due after five years through ten years	561,098
Due after ten years	1,463,906
Total	2,603,152
Available-for-sale securities, Fair value
Due in one year or less	146,084
Due after one year through five years	435,443
Due after five years through ten years	637,363
Due after ten years	1,693,923
Total	2,912,813
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost
Due in one year or less	6,075
Due after one year through five years	199,509
Due after five years through ten years	246,072
Due after ten years	6,966,856
Held-to-maturity securities, Cost	7,418,512	¥ 6,842,072
Held-to-maturity securities, Fair value
Due in one year or less	6,109
Due after one year through five years	217,983
Due after five years through ten years	283,086
Due after ten years	9,367,458
Total	¥ 9,874,636	¥ 8,902,627

Marketable Securities and Sec_5

Marketable Securities and Securities Investments - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2020USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)	Apr. 03, 2018
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities	¥ 84,362		¥ 66,906		¥ 39,982
Gross realized gains from available-for-sale securities	354		240		1,257
Gross realized losses from available-for-sale securities	128		475		2
Marketable securities classified as trading securities	270,120		234,117
Net unrealized gains on trading securities	1,705		3,610		¥ 48,047
Net realized gains on sale of equity securities	20,176		77,495
Net unrealized gains on revaluation of equity securities	134,831		104,168
Gain or loss on sale of shares in security investments	61,544
Investment in non public companies	30,120		25,720
Equity securities without readily determinable fair value, downward price adjustment	9,075		4,285
Equity securities without readily determinable fair value, upward price adjustment	1,070
Spotify Technology SA
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Ownership percentage							5.707%
Proceed from sale of shares			82,616	$ 768
Gain or loss on sale of shares in security investments	0		54,179	504
Gross fair value of retained shares			78,947			$ 711
Gain on equity securities, net	¥ (6,063)	$ (57)	¥ 47,543	$ 449

Marketable Securities and Sec_6

Marketable Securities and Securities Investments (Gross Unrealized Losses and Fair Value of Securities with Unrealized Losses, Aggregated by Investment Category and Length of Time of Continuous Unrealized Loss Position) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, fair value	¥ 237,149	¥ 103,410
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(3,242)	(167)
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, fair value	49,499	60,193
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, unrealized losses	(129)	(1,089)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	286,648	163,603
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	(3,371)	(1,256)
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, fair value	237,910
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(6,103)
Held-to-maturity securities, 12 months or more, fair value	3,727	249,213
Held-to-maturity securities, 12 months or more , unrealized losses	(469)	(19,587)
Held-to-maturity securities, fair value, total	241,637	249,213
Held-to-maturity securities, unrealized losses, total	(6,572)	(19,587)
Held-to-maturity And Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, fair value	475,059	103,410
Held-to-maturity And Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(9,345)	(167)
Held-to-maturity And Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, fair value	53,226	309,406
Held-to-maturity And Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, unrealized losses	(598)	(20,676)
Held-to-maturity And Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	528,285	412,816
Held-to-maturity And Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	(9,943)	(20,843)
Japanese national government bonds
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, fair value	51,746
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(539)
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, fair value	2,032	4,063
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, unrealized losses	(27)	(20)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	53,778	4,063
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	(566)	(20)
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, fair value	134,320
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(1,397)
Held-to-maturity securities, fair value, total	134,320
Held-to-maturity securities, unrealized losses, total	(1,397)
Japanese local government bonds
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, fair value	25,010	27,404
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(10)	(29)
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, fair value	16,340	4,872
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, unrealized losses	(23)	(5)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	41,350	32,276
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	(33)	(34)
Japanese corporate bonds
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, fair value	62,118	25,725
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(548)	(21)
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, fair value	10,694	19,925
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, unrealized losses	(19)	(202)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	72,812	45,650
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	(567)	(223)
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, fair value	98,172
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(4,285)
Held-to-maturity securities, 12 months or more, fair value	3,727	97,984
Held-to-maturity securities, 12 months or more , unrealized losses	(469)	(5,845)
Held-to-maturity securities, fair value, total	101,899	97,984
Held-to-maturity securities, unrealized losses, total	(4,754)	(5,845)
Foreign government bonds
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, fair value	1,537	15,878
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, unrealized losses	(14)	(603)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	1,537	15,878
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	(14)	(603)
Held-to-maturity securities, 12 months or more, fair value		151,229
Held-to-maturity securities, 12 months or more , unrealized losses		(13,742)
Held-to-maturity securities, fair value, total		151,229
Held-to-maturity securities, unrealized losses, total		(13,742)
Foreign corporate bonds
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, fair value	86,220	50,281
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(2,133)	(117)
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, fair value	18,896	15,455
Available-for-sale securities, 12 months or more, unrealized losses	(46)	(259)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	105,116	65,736
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	(2,179)	¥ (376)
Securitized products
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, fair value	5,418
Held-to-maturity securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(421)
Held-to-maturity securities, fair value, total	5,418
Held-to-maturity securities, unrealized losses, total	(421)
Other
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, fair value	12,055
Available-for-sale securities, less than 12 months, unrealized losses	(12)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value, total	12,055
Available-for-sale securities, unrealized losses, total	¥ (12)

Leases-Components of lease cost

Leases-Components of lease cost (Detail) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Lease, Cost [Abstract]
Amortization of right-of-use assets	¥ 10,077
Interest on lease liabilities	1,266
Total finance lease cost	11,343
Operating lease cost	76,863
Short-term lease cost	20,620
Variable lease cost	141
Sublease income	(3,860)
Total lease cost	¥ 105,107

Leases - Additional Information

Leases - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Leases [Abstract]
Rental expenses under operating leases	¥ 71,516	¥ 77,950
Sublease rental received under operating leases	1,013	¥ 1,325
Total minimum rentals to be received in future under noncancelable subleases for operating leases	¥ 1,598

Leases-Summary of Supplemental

Leases-Summary of Supplemental consolidated balance sheet information related to leases (Detail) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Finance Lease [Abstract]
Current portion of long-term debt	¥ 9,240
Long-term debt	29,843
Total	¥ 39,083
Weighted average remaining lease term
Operating leases	9 years 10 months 28 days
Finance leases	8 years 7 months 9 days
Weighted average discount rate
Operating leases	3.147%
Finance leases	2.338%

Leases (Minimum Rental Payments

Leases (Minimum Rental Payments Required under Operating Leases that have Initial or Remaining Noncancelable Lease Terms in Excess of One Year) (Detail) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2020	¥ 58,901
2021	48,823
2022	34,726
2023	25,355
2024	22,152
Later fiscal years	78,507
Total minimum future rentals	¥ 268,464

Leases-Summary of Maturities of

Leases-Summary of Maturities of Lease Liabilities (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Apr. 01, 2019
Operating Leases [Abstract]
2021	¥ 76,469
2022	69,606
2023	55,648
2024	40,303
2025	30,664
Later fiscal years	152,275
Total lease payments	424,965
Less imputed interest	41,187
Total	383,778	¥ 341,251
Finance Leases [Abstract]
2021	10,213
2022	7,323
2023	5,990
2024	4,689
2025	3,163
Later fiscal years	23,088
Total lease payments	54,466
Less imputed interest	15,383
Total	¥ 39,083

Leases-Summary of other informa

Leases-Summary of other information related to leases (Detail) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities
Payments for operating leases, included in cash flows from operating activities	¥ 71,612
Payments for finance leases, included in cash flows from financing activities	33,088
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities	¥ 124,380

Goodwill and Other Intangible_3

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Line Items]
Finite and indefinite lived intangible assets acquired	¥ 146,023
Acquired finite lived intangible assets subject to amortization	145,596
Aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets	¥ 110,819	¥ 109,452	¥ 123,450

Goodwill and Other Intangible_4

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Acquired Intangible Assets and Weighted-Average Amortization Period) (Detail) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets acquired	¥ 145,596
Patent rights, know-how and license agreements
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets acquired	¥ 7,848
Weighted-average amortization period	8 years
Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets acquired	¥ 16,609
Weighted-average amortization period	3 years
Internal-use software
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets acquired	¥ 93,768
Weighted-average amortization period	4 years
Music catalogs
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets acquired	¥ 19,837
Weighted-average amortization period	14 years
Other
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets acquired	¥ 7,534
Weighted-average amortization period	11 years

Goodwill and Other Intangible_5

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	¥ 1,700,304	¥ 1,649,721
Accumulated amortization	(886,297)	(823,276)
Patent rights, know-how and license agreements
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	166,076	169,761
Accumulated amortization	(146,051)	(145,525)
Customer relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	16,104	15,759
Accumulated amortization	(12,467)	(11,825)
Trademarks
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	11,152	15,768
Accumulated amortization	(6,114)	(9,863)
Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	141,111	125,350
Accumulated amortization	(110,663)	(96,322)
Internal-use software
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	594,109	529,022
Accumulated amortization	(384,236)	(345,935)
Music catalogs
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	612,266	615,206
Accumulated amortization	(124,787)	(106,725)
Artist contracts
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	41,764	42,575
Accumulated amortization	(29,017)	(29,108)
Television carriage contracts (broadcasting agreements)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	53,266	74,605
Accumulated amortization	(21,645)	(28,685)
Other
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	64,456	61,675
Accumulated amortization	¥ (51,317)	¥ (49,288)

Goodwill and Other Intangible_6

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Estimated Aggregate Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets) (Detail) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net, Amortization Expense, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2020	¥ 97,978
2021	82,057
2022	66,079
2023	50,098
2024	¥ 38,658

Goodwill and Other Intangible_7

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Total Carrying Amount of Intangible Assets Having Indefinite Life) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Carrying amount of intangible assets having an indefinite life	¥ 92,303	¥ 91,521
Trademarks
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Carrying amount of intangible assets having an indefinite life	69,975	69,447
Distribution agreements
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Carrying amount of intangible assets having an indefinite life	18,834	18,834
Other
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Carrying amount of intangible assets having an indefinite life	¥ 3,494	¥ 3,240

Goodwill and Other Intangible_8

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Segment) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2019
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		¥ 1,087,374		¥ 839,030
Accumulated impairments		(318,822)		(308,538)
Goodwill		768,552		530,492
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions		39,763	[1]	243,044
Sales and dispositions		(609)
Impairments				(5,107)
Translation adjustments		(20,639)		3,111
Other		(3,179)		(2,988)
Goodwill - gross		1,100,315		1,087,374
Accumulated impairments		(316,427)		(318,822)
Goodwill		783,888		768,552
Game & Network Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		153,955		150,606
Goodwill		153,955		150,606
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions		17,945	[1]	2,261
Translation adjustments		(926)		1,088
Goodwill - gross		170,974		153,955
Goodwill		170,974		153,955
Music
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		403,676		165,700
Accumulated impairments		(306)		(306)
Goodwill		403,370		165,394
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions		2,956	[1]	240,396
Sales and dispositions				0
Translation adjustments		(13,802)		(2,420)
Other		(1,199)
Goodwill - gross		391,631		403,676
Accumulated impairments		(306)		(306)
Goodwill		391,325		403,370
Pictures
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		252,262		246,620
Accumulated impairments		(106,778)		(102,208)
Goodwill		145,484		144,412
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions		14,889	[1]	387
Sales and dispositions		(609)
Translation adjustments		(5,410)		3,673
Other		(1,980)		(2,988)
Goodwill - gross		257,074		252,262
Accumulated impairments		(104,700)		(106,778)
Goodwill		152,374		145,484
Electronics Products & Solutions
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		194,416		194,468
Accumulated impairments		(182,462)		(181,665)
Goodwill		11,954		12,803
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions	[1]	364
Impairments				(776)
Translation adjustments		(129)		(73)
Goodwill - gross		194,635		194,416
Accumulated impairments		(182,446)		(182,462)
Goodwill		12,189		11,954
Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		46,564		45,793
Goodwill		46,564		45,793
Increase (decrease) due to:
Translation adjustments		(372)		771
Goodwill - gross		46,192		46,564
Goodwill		46,192		46,564
Financial Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		7,931		7,931
Accumulated impairments		(706)		(706)
Goodwill		7,225		7,225
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions	[1]	3,609
Goodwill - gross		11,540		7,931
Accumulated impairments		(706)		(706)
Goodwill		10,834		7,225
All Other
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill - gross		28,570		27,912
Accumulated impairments		(28,570)		(23,653)
Goodwill				4,259
Increase (decrease) due to:
Impairments				(4,331)
Translation adjustments		0		72
Other				0
Goodwill - gross		28,269		28,570
Accumulated impairments		¥ (28,269)		¥ (28,570)
[1]	Acquisitions for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019 relate mainly to the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in the Music segment. Acquisitions for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 relate mainly to the acquisition of Insomniac Games, Inc. in the G&NS segment, Silvergate Media in the Pictures segment and AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. in the Financial Services segment. Refer to Note 25.

Insurance-Related Accounts - Ad

Insurance-Related Accounts - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Combined amounts of statutory net equity of insurance subsidiaries which is not measured in accordance with U.S. GAAP	¥ 586,983	¥ 548,730
Life insurance revenues	1,052,316	910,011	¥ 857,766
Non-life insurance revenues	115,730	111,392	105,497
Amortization of deferred insurance acquisition costs charged to income	93,734	79,906	¥ 68,137
Future insurance policy benefits	6,237,048	5,633,865
Nontraditional Life Insurance Contracts [Member]
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Deferred insurance acquisition costs of non-traditional life insurance contracts	¥ 206,363	¥ 209,897
Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Interest rates for future policy benefit based on market conditions and expected investment returns	0.50%
Minimum | Interest Sensitive Whole Life Contracts
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Credited interest rates associated with policyholder contract deposits	1.70%
Minimum | Investments Contracts
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Credited interest rates associated with policyholder contract deposits	0.01%
Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Interest rates for future policy benefit based on market conditions and expected investment returns	4.50%
Maximum | Interest Sensitive Whole Life Contracts
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Credited interest rates associated with policyholder contract deposits	2.00%
Maximum | Investments Contracts
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Credited interest rates associated with policyholder contract deposits	6.30%

Insurance-Related Accounts (Pol

Insurance-Related Accounts (Policyholders' Account in Life Insurance Business) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Policyholders Account In Life Insurance Business [Abstract]
Policyholders' account in the life insurance business	¥ 3,642,271	¥ 3,048,202
Universal Life Insurance
Policyholders Account In Life Insurance Business [Abstract]
Policyholders' account in the life insurance business	2,611,577	2,104,646
Investments Contracts
Policyholders Account In Life Insurance Business [Abstract]
Policyholders' account in the life insurance business	885,690	816,903
Other
Policyholders Account In Life Insurance Business [Abstract]
Policyholders' account in the life insurance business	¥ 145,004	¥ 126,653

Insurance-Related Accounts (Net

Insurance-Related Accounts (Net Amount at Risk, Liability for the Minimum Guaranteed Benefit) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Policyholder's account value	¥ 1,561,028	¥ 1,092,559
Net amount at risk	4,635,899	4,334,224
Liability for minimum guarantee benefit	143,905	63,423
Variable annuities
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Policyholder's account value	464,093
Net amount at risk	71,685
Liability for minimum guarantee benefit	¥ 64,045
Average attained age	60 years
Variable life insurance contracts
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Policyholder's account value	¥ 1,096,935	1,092,559
Net amount at risk	4,564,214	4,334,224
Liability for minimum guarantee benefit	¥ 79,860	¥ 63,423
Average attained age	45 years	44 years

Short-Term Borrowings and Lon_3

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt (Short-Term Borrowings) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	¥ 810,176	¥ 618,618
Unsecured Loans Weighted Average Interest Rate 2.52%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		55,186
Unsecured Loans Weighted Average Interest Rate 0.86%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	91,725
Repurchase agreement, weighted average interest rate 0.56%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		432,820
Repurchase agreement, weighted average interest rate 0.93%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	567,194
Secured Call Money Weighted Average Interest Rate 0.18%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		¥ 130,612
Secured Call Money Weighted Average Interest Rate 0.13%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	¥ 151,257

Short-Term Borrowings and Lon_4

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt (Short-Term Borrowings) (Parenthetical) (Detail)	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Unsecured Loans Weighted Average Interest Rate 2.52%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt weighted-average interest rate		2.52%
Unsecured Loans Weighted Average Interest Rate 0.86%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt weighted-average interest rate	0.86%
Repurchase agreement, weighted average interest rate 0.56%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt weighted-average interest rate		0.56%
Repurchase agreement, weighted average interest rate 0.93%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt weighted-average interest rate	0.93%
Secured Call Money Weighted Average Interest Rate 0.18%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt weighted-average interest rate		0.18%
Secured Call Money Weighted Average Interest Rate 0.13%
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt weighted-average interest rate	0.13%

Short-Term Borrowings and Lon_5

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ / shares in Units, ¥ in Millions	Jul. 21, 2015JPY (¥)TradingDay¥ / shares	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)¥ / shares	Jun. 10, 2020¥ / shares	Oct. 31, 2019JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)¥ / shares
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		¥ 810,176			¥ 618,618
Long-term debt including current portion		664,773			740,833
Aggregate principal amount newly issued for repayment of borrowings and debt				¥ 100,000
Securities Pledged As Collaterals
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Marketable securities and securities investments pledged as collateral, book value		52,942
Pledged housing loans, book value		378,241
Long-term secured loan		200,000
Committed Lines of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity		¥ 518,147
Line of credit facility, period up to which company can borrow		180 days
Commercial Paper Programs
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity		¥ 1,044,150
Line of credit facility, period up to which company can borrow		270 days
Cash settlements, variation margins of futures markets and certain other purposes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Marketable securities and securities investments pledged as collateral, book value		¥ 12,445
Repurchase agreement, weighted average interest rate of 0.01%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Securities investments pledged as collateral, book value		474,644
Repurchase agreement, weighted average interest rate of 0.01% | Securities Pledged As Collaterals
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		567,194
Secured Call Money Weighted Average Interest Rate 0.08% | Securities Pledged As Collaterals
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		151,257
Marketable securities and securities investments pledged as collateral, book value		42,576
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion	¥ 120,000	¥ 119,531			¥ 119,961
Debt instrument interest rate	130.00%
Stock acquisition rights, start date	Sep. 1, 2015
Stock acquisition rights, end date	Sep. 28, 2022
Conversion price per common share | ¥ / shares		¥ 4,996			¥ 5,008
Amount in excess of dividends for which conversion price is adjusted | ¥ / shares	¥ 25
Debt instrument outstanding percentage	100.00%
Debt instrument redeemable date	Jul. 21, 2020
Debt instrument conversion price percentage on consecutive trading days	130.00%
Debt instrument, convertible, consecutive trading days | TradingDay	20
Basis for conversion bonds outstanding		if the closing sales price per share of Sony’s common stock on the Tokyo Stock Exchange is 130% or more of the conversion price of the Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds for 20 consecutive trading days
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022 | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per common share | ¥ / shares	¥ 3,526.5
Amount in excess of dividends for which conversion price is adjusted | ¥ / shares		¥ 25
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022 | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per common share | ¥ / shares	¥ 5,008
Amount in excess of dividends for which conversion price is adjusted | ¥ / shares		¥ 45
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022 | Subsequent event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per common share | ¥ / shares			¥ 4,982.5

Short-Term Borrowings and Lon_6

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt (Long-Term Debt) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Jul. 21, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		¥ 664,773	¥ 740,833
Less - Portion due within one year		29,807	172,461
Total		634,966	568,372
Unsecured loans, due 2019 to 2024, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 7.89 % per annum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion			57,321
Unsecured loans, due 2020 to 2029, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 5.10 % per annum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		17,880
Unsecured 0.05% bonds, due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion			69,964
Unsecured 2.07% bonds, due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion			50,000
Unsecured 0.23% bonds, due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		89,894	89,819
Unsecured 0.11% bonds, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		10,000	10,000
Unsecured 1.41% bonds, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		10,000	10,000
Unsecured 0.28% bonds, due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		15,000	15,000
Unsecured 0.13% bonds, due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		29,886
Unsecured 0.22% bonds, due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		10,000	10,000
Unsecured 0.42% bonds, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		24,923	24,911
Unsecured 0.18% bonds, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		10,000
Unsecured 0.30% bonds, due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		59,738
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		119,531	119,961	¥ 120,000
Secured 0.00% loans, due 2020 to 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion		201,205	200,003
Finance lease liabilities and other, due 2019 to 2048
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion	[1]		72,991
Finance lease liabilities and other, due 2020 to 2050
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion	[1]	56,350
Guarantee deposits received
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt including current portion	[1]	¥ 10,366	¥ 10,863
[1]	Finance lease liabilities and other were represented as Capital lease obligations and other as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019.

Short-Term Borrowings and Lon_7

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt (Long-Term Debt) (Parenthetical) (Detail) - ¥ / shares	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Jul. 21, 2015
Unsecured loans, due 2019 to 2024, with interest rates ranging from 0.01% to 5.10% per annum | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate		0.01%
Unsecured loans, due 2019 to 2024, with interest rates ranging from 0.01% to 5.10% per annum | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate		7.89%
Unsecured loans, due 2020 to 2029, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 5.10 % per annum | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.01%
Unsecured loans, due 2020 to 2029, with interest rates ranging from 0.01 % to 5.10 % per annum | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	5.10%
Unsecured 0.05% bonds, due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate		0.05%
Unsecured 2.07% bonds, due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate		2.07%
Unsecured 0.23% bonds, due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.23%	0.23%
Unsecured 0.11% bonds, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.11%	0.11%
Unsecured 1.41% bonds, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	1.41%	1.41%
Unsecured 0.28% bonds, due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.28%	0.28%
Unsecured 0.13% bonds, due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.13%
Unsecured 0.22% bonds, due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.22%	0.22%
Unsecured 0.42% bonds, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.42%	0.42%
Unsecured 0.18% bonds, due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.18%
Unsecured 0.30% bonds, due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.30%
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per common share	¥ 4,996	¥ 5,008
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022 | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per common share			¥ 3,526.5
Unsecured zero coupon convertible bonds, due 2022 | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per common share			¥ 5,008
Secured 0.00% loans, due 2020 to 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.00%	0.00%
Finance lease liabilities and other, due 2019 to 2048 | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate		0.36%
Finance lease liabilities and other, due 2019 to 2048 | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate		9.14%
Finance lease liabilities and other, due 2020 to 2050 | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	0.01%
Finance lease liabilities and other, due 2020 to 2050 | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate	12.59%

Short-Term Borrowings and Lon_8

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt (Aggregate Amounts of Annual Maturities of Long-Term Debt) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
2021	¥ 29,807
2022	159,102
2023	229,617
2024	81,041
2025	43,923
Later fiscal years	121,283
Total	¥ 664,773	¥ 740,833

Housing Loans and Deposits fr_3

Housing Loans and Deposits from Customers in the Banking Business - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Housing Loans And Deposits From Customers [Abstract]
Housing loans in the banking business, Carrying amount	¥ 1,927,054	¥ 1,685,504
Allowance for credit losses of housing loans in the banking business	780	829
Balance of time deposits issued in amounts of 10 million yen or more	¥ 306,449	¥ 292,968

Housing Loans and Deposits fr_4

Housing Loans and Deposits from Customers in the Banking Business (Aggregate Amounts of Annual Maturities of Time Deposits with Remaining Term of More Than One Year) (Detail) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Interest-bearing Deposit Liabilities [Abstract]
2022	¥ 39,145
2023	16,102
2024	10,513
2025	3,238
2026	2,190
Later fiscal years	12,823
Total	¥ 84,011

Fair Value Measurements (Fair V

Fair Value Measurements (Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		¥ 270,120	¥ 234,117
Derivative assets		42,383	10,486
Derivative liabilities		35,866	32,822
Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		16,253	4,688
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		270,120	234,117
Other investments	[1]	17,220	13,914
Derivative assets	[2]	42,383	10,486
Total assets		4,774,922	4,079,047
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	532,191
Derivative liabilities	[2]	35,866	32,822
Total liabilities		568,057	32,822
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		1,761,929	1,643,589
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		69,172	67,497
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		220,709	219,388
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	279,777	161,495
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	359,750	360,867
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	205,223	190,112
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		1,532,386	1,172,894
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		16,253	4,688
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		270,120	234,117
Other investments	[1]	0
Derivative assets	[2]	0
Total assets		1,841,697	1,318,251
Derivative liabilities	[2]	0
Total liabilities		64,045
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		10,011	18,719
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		15,334	7,768
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		14,774	11,472
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	2,690	3,984
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	94,156	90,801
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	0
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		1,434,612	951,390
Marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		0
Other investments	[1]	17,220	13,914
Derivative assets	[2]	0
Total assets		2,890,842	2,750,310
Derivative liabilities	[2]	0
Total liabilities		468,146
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		1,751,918	1,624,870
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		53,838	59,729
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		205,935	207,916
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	277,087	157,511
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	265,594	270,066
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	205,223	190,112
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		97,774	221,504
Securities investments and other | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		16,253	4,688
Future insurance policy benefits | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	64,045
Policyholders' account | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	468,146
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		0
Other investments	[1]	0
Derivative assets	[2]	40,784	9,431
Total assets		40,784	9,431
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	0
Derivative liabilities	[2]	16,814	19,852
Total liabilities		16,814	19,852
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	0
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	0
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	0
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other current assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		0
Other investments	[1]	0
Derivative assets	[2]	1,599	1,055
Total assets		1,599	1,055
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	0
Derivative liabilities	[2]	19,052	12,970
Total liabilities		19,052	12,970
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Other noncurrent assets and liabilities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		24,330	22,105
Other investments	[1]	7,162	5,489
Derivative assets	[2]	1,310	444
Total assets		983,546	1,065,138
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	0
Derivative liabilities	[2]	2,077	136
Total liabilities		2,077	136
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	0
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	0
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	0
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		950,744	1,037,100
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		245,790	212,012
Other investments	[1]	816	1,507
Derivative assets	[2]	41,073	10,042
Total assets		3,582,393	2,819,204
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	0
Derivative liabilities	[2]	33,789	32,686
Total liabilities		33,789	32,686
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		1,761,929	1,643,589
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		69,172	67,497
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		220,679	219,388
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	279,777	161,495
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	343,980	338,163
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	33,383	25,029
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		581,642	135,794
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		4,152	4,688
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Trading securities		0
Other investments	[1]	9,242	6,918
Derivative assets	[2]	0
Total assets		208,983	194,705
Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders' account in the life insurance business	[3]	532,191
Derivative liabilities	[2]	0
Total liabilities		532,191
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese national government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese local government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		30
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[4]	0
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[5]	15,770	22,704
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	[6]	171,840	¥ 165,083
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		0
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		¥ 12,101
[1]	Other investments include certain hybrid financial instruments and certain private equity investments.
[2]	Derivative assets and liabilities are recognized and disclosed on a gross basis.
[3]	Future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the life insurance business are those for which the fair value option has been elected.
[4]	4,910 million yen and 7,771 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020. In the consolidated balance sheets, 2,386 million yen are included as marketable securities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2020 and 4,910 million yen and 5,385 million yen are included as securities investment and other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.
[5]	173,964 million yen and 188,426 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. In the consolidated balance sheets, 33,391 million yen and 34,502 million yen are included as marketable securities and 140,573 million yen and 153,924 million yen are included as securities investment and other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.
[6]	185,195 million yen and 193,430 million yen are included in foreign securities for which the fair value option has been elected and classified in level 2 and level 3 for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and are included in the consolidated balance sheets as securities investments and other.

Fair Value Measurements (Fair_2

Fair Value Measurements (Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis) (Parenthetical) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Net gains from financial instruments for which fair value option has been elected	¥ (12,408)	¥ 85
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds: foreign securities for which fair value option has been elected
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	7,771
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds: foreign securities for which fair value option has been elected
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	188,426	173,964
Marketable securities | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds: foreign securities for which fair value option has been elected
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	2,386
Marketable securities | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds: foreign securities for which fair value option has been elected
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	34,502	33,391
Securities investments and other | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign government bonds: foreign securities for which fair value option has been elected
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	5,385	4,910
Securities investments and other | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign corporate bonds: foreign securities for which fair value option has been elected
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	153,924	140,573
Securities investments and other | Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Other: foreign securities for which fair value option has been elected
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	¥ 193,430	¥ 185,195

Fair Value Measurements - Addit

Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2018JPY (¥)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Transfers into level 1	¥ 4,395	¥ 1,769
Transfers out of level 1	¥ 3,216	2,508
Minimum | Measurement Input, Mortality Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Minimum guaranteed benefits variable annuity	0.004%
Minimum | Measurement Input, Lapse Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Minimum guaranteed benefits variable annuity	1.00%
Minimum | Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Minimum guaranteed benefits variable annuity	(0.061%)
Maximum | Measurement Input, Mortality Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Maximum guaranteed benefits variable annuity	44.865%
Maximum | Measurement Input, Lapse Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Maximum guaranteed benefits variable annuity	7.50%
Maximum | Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Maximum guaranteed benefits variable annuity	1.433%
Electronics Products & Solutions | Smartphone Business Asset Group
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets	¥ 12,714	¥ 19,172	¥ 31,341
Electronics Products & Solutions | Smartphone Business Asset Group | Level 3 | Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value measurements	10.6	8.5	8.5
Electronics Products & Solutions | Smartphone Business Asset Group | Minimum | Level 3 | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value measurements	(10)	(26)	(8)
Electronics Products & Solutions | Smartphone Business Asset Group | Maximum | Level 3 | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value measurements	70	24	6
All Other | Storage Media Business Asset Group
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets		¥ 12,858
All Other | Storage Media Business Asset Group | Level 3 | Measurement Input, Discount Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value measurements		8.9
All Other | Storage Media Business Asset Group | Minimum | Level 3 | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value measurements		(34)
All Other | Storage Media Business Asset Group | Maximum | Level 3 | Measurement Input, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value measurements		21

Fair Value Measurements (Change

Fair Value Measurements (Changes in Fair Value of Level Three Assets and Liabilities) (Detail) ¥ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2020USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)
Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Purchases and Issuances		¥ 30
Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Purchases and Issuances		13,597
Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Purchases and Issuances		40,175
Other
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Purchases and Issuances		12,101
Other Investments
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Beginning balance		6,918		¥ 9,104
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in earnings	[1]	(500)		276
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in other comprehensive income (loss)	[2]	0
Purchases and Issuances		4,711		4
Sales		(9)		(6)
Settlements		(1,878)		(2,460)
Transfers into level 3	[3]	0
Transfers out of level 3	[4]	0
Ending balance				6,918
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at reporting date included in earnings	[1]	(376)		441
Future insurance policy benefits and Policyholders' account
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Acquisition of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd.	[5]	547,190
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in earnings	[1]	12,500
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in other comprehensive income (loss)	[2]	3,032
Purchases and Issuances		5,295
Sales		0
Settlements		(4,762)
Transfers into level 3	[3]	0
Transfers out of level 3	[4]	0
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at reporting date included in earnings	[1]	10,273
Available-for-sale securities | Japanese corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Beginning balance		0
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in earnings	[1]	0
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in other comprehensive income (loss)	[2]	0
Sales		0
Settlements		0
Transfers into level 3	[3]	0
Transfers out of level 3	[4]	0
Ending balance		30		0
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at reporting date included in earnings | $	[1]		$ 0
Available-for-sale securities | Foreign corporate bonds
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Beginning balance		22,704		27,878
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in earnings	[1]	311		465
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in other comprehensive income (loss)	[2]	(73)		131
Purchases and Issuances				5,787
Sales		0
Settlements		(20,867)		(10,435)
Transfers into level 3	[3]	3,374		20,863
Transfers out of level 3	[4]	(3,276)		(21,985)
Ending balance		15,770		22,704
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at reporting date included in earnings	[1]	(94)		219
Available-for-sale securities | Securitized products
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Beginning balance		165,083		83,614
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in earnings	[1]	(18,151)		562
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses), included in other comprehensive income (loss)	[2]	1		1
Purchases and Issuances				94,696
Sales		0
Settlements		(12,967)		(13,601)
Transfers into level 3	[3]	0		5,284
Transfers out of level 3	[4]	(2,301)		(5,473)
Ending balance		171,840		165,083
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to instruments still held at reporting date included in earnings	[1]	(16,507)		¥ 510
Available-for-sale securities | Other
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Ending balance		12,101
Available-for-sale securities | Other Investments
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Ending balance		9,242
Available-for-sale securities | Future insurance policy benefits and Policyholders' account
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Ending balance		¥ 532,191
[1]	Earning effects are included in financial services revenue and financial services expense in the consolidated statements of income.
[2]	Unrealized gains (losses) are included in unrealized gains (losses) on securities, net for available-for-sale securities and included in debt valuation adjustments for future insurance policy benefits and policyholders’ account in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
[3]	Certain corporate bonds and certain securitized products were transferred into level 3 because differences between the fair value determined by indicative quotes from dealers and the fair value determined by internally developed prices became significant and the observability of the inputs used decreased.
[4]	Certain corporate bonds and certain securitized products were transferred out of level 3 because observable market data became available.
[5]	Refer to Note 25

Fair Value Measurements (Assets

Fair Value Measurements (Assets and Liabilities Remeasured At Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Nonrecurring changes in fair value, Amounts included in earnings	¥ (22,656)	¥ (49,242)
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring | Level 1
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Remeasurement of retained investment in SRE	15,911
Long-lived assets, Estimated fair value	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring | Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-lived assets, Estimated fair value	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring | Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-lived assets, Estimated fair value	8,155	4,389
Goodwill, Estimated fair value		0
Long-lived assets impairments
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Nonrecurring changes in fair value, Amounts included in earnings	(36,003)	(44,135)
Goodwill impairments
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Nonrecurring changes in fair value, Amounts included in earnings		¥ (5,107)
Remeasurement Of Retained Investment in SRE [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Nonrecurring changes in fair value, Amounts included in earnings	¥ 13,347

Fair Value Measurements (Estima

Fair Value Measurements (Estimated Fair Values by Fair Value Hierarchy Level of Certain Financial Instruments not Reported at Fair Value) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Housing loans in the banking business, Carrying amount	¥ 1,927,054	¥ 1,685,504
Total assets, Carrying amount	23,039,343	20,981,586
Long-term debt including the current portion, Carrying amount	664,773	740,833
Total liabilities	18,242,041	16,536,095
Estimated fair value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Housing loans in the banking business, Estimated fair value	2,161,432	1,861,384
Total assets, Estimated fair value	2,161,432	1,861,384
Long-term debt including the current portion, Estimated fair value	699,358	737,529
Investment contracts included in policyholders' account in the life insurance business, Estimated fair value	969,464	877,157
Total liabilities, Estimated fair value	1,668,822	1,614,686
Carrying amount
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Housing loans in the banking business, Carrying amount	1,927,054	1,685,504
Total assets, Carrying amount	1,927,054	1,685,504
Long-term debt including the current portion, Carrying amount	664,773	740,833
Investment contracts included in policyholders' account in the life insurance business, Carrying amount	885,690	816,903
Total liabilities	1,550,463	1,557,736
Level 2 | Estimated fair value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Housing loans in the banking business, Estimated fair value	2,161,432	1,861,384
Total assets, Estimated fair value	2,161,432	1,861,384
Long-term debt including the current portion, Estimated fair value	699,358	737,529
Investment contracts included in policyholders' account in the life insurance business, Estimated fair value	969,464	877,157
Total liabilities, Estimated fair value	¥ 1,668,822	¥ 1,614,686

Derivative Instruments and He_3

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Estimated Fair Values of Outstanding Derivative Instruments) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	¥ 42,383	¥ 10,486
Derivative liabilities	35,866	32,822
Designated as hedging instrument
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	1,835	242
Derivative liabilities	8,360	8,457
Designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Current liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	183	141
Designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	8,177	8,274
Designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	9	10
Designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Other assets: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	27	101
Designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Current liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities		42
Designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	1,799	131
Not designated as hedging instrument
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	40,548	10,244
Derivative liabilities	27,506	24,365
Not designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Current liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	200	344
Not designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	9,120	3,637
Not designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	44	39
Not designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Other assets: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	1,523	882
Not designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Current liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	14,580	11,549
Not designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	1,755	1,059
Not designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	19,655	8,807
Not designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Other assets: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	49	72
Not designated as hedging instrument | Equity Contracts | Current liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	1,476	7,776
Not designated as hedging instrument | Equity Contracts | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	18,886	¥ 444
Not designated as hedging instrument | Bond contracts | Current liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	290
Not designated as hedging instrument | Bond contracts | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	306
Not designated as hedging instrument | Commodity contracts | Current liabilities: Other
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	85
Not designated as hedging instrument | Commodity contracts | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative assets	¥ 85

Derivative Instruments and He_4

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Derivative [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) from components excluded from assessment of fair value hedge effectiveness, net	¥ 0	¥ 0	¥ 0

Derivative Instruments and He_5

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Effects of Derivative Instruments on Consolidated Statements of Income) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	¥ (3,925)	¥ (1,835)	¥ (52)
Derivative assets	42,383	10,486
Not designated as hedging instrument
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	26,441	(26,476)	10,174
Derivative assets	40,548	10,244
Not designated as hedging instrument | Interest rate contracts | Financial services revenue
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	1,190	(3,192)	(1,544)
Not designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Financial services revenue
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	2,473	(8,198)	2,013
Not designated as hedging instrument | Foreign exchange contracts | Foreign exchange loss, net
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	10,184	(7,437)	21,370
Not designated as hedging instrument | Equity Contracts | Financial services revenue
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	15,438	(7,649)	(11,665)
Not designated as hedging instrument | Bond contracts | Financial services revenue
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	(2,954)
Not designated as hedging instrument | Commodity contracts | Financial services revenue
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	110
Amortized Cost
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative assets	106,335
Amortized Cost | Interest rate contracts | Marketable securities
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative assets	15,255
Amortized Cost | Interest rate contracts | Securities investments and other
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative assets	91,080
Fair Value Hedging | Interest rate contracts | Financial services revenue
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	(3,925)	(1,835)	(52)
Cash Flow Hedging
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (effective portion)	(981)	(1,093)	1,111
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedging instruments	2,799	2,315	(2,295)
Cash Flow Hedging | Foreign exchange contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in OCI on derivative	1,712	2,315	(2,295)
Gain (loss) from unrealized gains (losses)	1,087	0	0
Cash Flow Hedging | Foreign exchange contracts | Cost of Sales
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (effective portion)		¥ (1,093)	¥ 1,111
Cash Flow Hedging | Foreign exchange contracts | Net sales
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (effective portion)	106
Gain (loss) from unrealized gains (losses)	¥ (1,087)

Derivative Instruments and He_6

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Summary of Derivatives Additional Information Including Notional Amounts) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Foreign exchange forward contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	¥ 740,464	¥ 701,880
Fair value	4,361	(304)
Currency option contracts purchased
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	473	53,846
Fair value	7	179
Currency option contracts written
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	460	58,825
Fair value	(5)	(35)
Currency swap agreements
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	893,874	959,777
Fair value	(1,006)	(5,564)
Other currency contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	62,080	68,513
Fair value	1,811	2,084
Interest rate swap agreements
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	994,133	339,934
Fair value	(16,019)	(11,346)
Interest rate swaption agreements
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	18,700	5,300
Fair value	(58)	(18)
Equity future contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	63,354	58,725
Fair value	(871)	308
Equity swap agreements
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	103,409	63,107
Fair value	18,281	¥ (7,640)
Bond future contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	56,546
Fair value	16
Commodity future contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount	1,465
Fair value	¥ 0

Derivative Instruments and He_7

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Summary of Effects of Offsetting Derivative Assets, Derivative Liabilities, Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities) (Detail) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Offsetting Asset and Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts presented in consolidated balance sheet, Derivative asset	¥ 42,383	¥ 10,486
Financial instruments, Derivative asset	12,614	3,442
Cash collateral, Derivative asset	20,545	136
Net amounts, Derivative asset	9,224	6,908
Gross amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheet, Derivative liability	35,866	32,822
Gross amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheet, Repurchase, securities lending and similar arrangements	567,194	432,820
Financial instruments, Repurchase, securities lending and similar arrangements	564,874	432,820
Net amounts, Repurchase, securities lending and similar arrangements	2,320
Gross amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheet, Total liabilities	603,060	465,642
Financial instruments, Total liabilities	571,960	436,790
Cash collateral, Total liabilities	23,873	20,191
Net amounts, Total liabilities	7,227	8,661
Subject to master netting arrangement
Offsetting Asset and Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts presented in consolidated balance sheet, Derivative asset	38,281	6,855
Financial instruments, Derivative asset	12,614	3,442
Cash collateral, Derivative asset	20,545	136
Net amounts, Derivative asset	5,122	3,277
Gross amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheet, Derivative liability	31,896	25,872
Financial instruments, Derivative liability	7,086	3,970
Cash collateral, Derivative liability	23,873	20,191
Net amounts, Derivative liability	937	1,711
Not subject to master netting arrangement
Offsetting Asset and Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts presented in consolidated balance sheet, Derivative asset	4,102	3,631
Net amounts, Derivative asset	4,102	3,631
Gross amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheet, Derivative liability	3,970	6,950
Net amounts, Derivative liability	¥ 3,970	¥ 6,950

Pension and Severance Plans - A

Pension and Severance Plans - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of the indemnities under existing regulations to employees covered by defined benefits				65.00%
Expected amortization of net actuarial loss from accumulated other comprehensive income in next fiscal year	¥ 12,185
Expected amortization of prior service cost from accumulated other comprehensive income in next fiscal year	1,412
Increase Decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income	81,230
Loss on the pension plan amendment	6,358
Increase Decrease in accrued pension and severance costs	74,872
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected contribution in defined benefit pension plans	2,000
Loss on the pension plan amendment	¥ 6,358
Japan | Private equity
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments in equity securities for the pension plans	17.00%
Japan | Fixed income funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments in equity securities for the pension plans	54.00%
Japan | Other investment funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments in equity securities for the pension plans	29.00%
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected contribution in defined benefit pension plans	¥ 8,000
Loss on the pension plan amendment	¥ 68	¥ 1,804	¥ 1,058
Foreign plans | Private equity
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments in equity securities for the pension plans	63.00%
Foreign plans | Fixed income funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments in equity securities for the pension plans	14.00%
Foreign plans | Other investment funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments in equity securities for the pension plans	23.00%

Pension and Severance Plans (Co

Pension and Severance Plans (Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Losses on curtailments and settlements	¥ 6,358
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	17,948	¥ 23,128	¥ 25,185
Interest cost	4,162	7,020	8,024
Expected return on plan assets	(17,040)	(16,695)	(16,440)
Recognized actuarial loss	12,969	15,365	16,099
Amortization of prior service costs	(4,294)	(7,864)	(8,693)
Losses on curtailments and settlements	6,358
Net periodic benefit costs	20,103	20,954	24,175
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	3,616	2,780	3,181
Interest cost	9,212	10,083	10,393
Expected return on plan assets	(10,916)	(11,797)	(11,687)
Amortization of net transition asset			5
Recognized actuarial loss	2,606	2,656	3,014
Amortization of prior service costs	2	(269)	(574)
Losses on curtailments and settlements	68	1,804	1,058
Net periodic benefit costs	¥ 4,588	¥ 5,257	¥ 5,390

Pension and Severance Plans (Ch

Pension and Severance Plans (Changes in Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets as well as Funded Status and Composition of Amounts Recognized in Consolidated Balance Sheets) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Japan
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of the fiscal year	¥ 1,034,954	¥ 1,010,574
Service cost	17,948	23,128	¥ 25,185
Interest cost	4,162	7,020	8,024
Actuarial (gain) loss	(3,330)	29,295
Curtailments and settlements	(359,205)
Other	2	6
Benefits paid	(35,668)	(35,069)
Benefit obligation at end of the fiscal year	658,863	1,034,954	1,010,574
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	742,204	711,077
Actual return on plan assets	2,942	18,701
Employer contribution	7,453	36,875
Curtailments and settlements	(284,333)
Benefits paid	(31,060)	(24,449)
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	437,206	742,204	711,077
Funded status at end of the fiscal year	(221,657)	(292,750)
Foreign plans
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of the fiscal year	351,918	356,397
Service cost	3,616	2,780	3,181
Interest cost	9,212	10,083	10,393
Plan participants' contributions	487	462
Plan amendments	10,210
Actuarial (gain) loss	19,776	1,700
Foreign currency exchange rate changes	(16,919)	(1,554)
Curtailments and settlements	(4,434)	(6,120)
Effect of changes in consolidated subsidiaries		1,947
Benefits paid	(14,055)	(13,777)
Benefit obligation at end of the fiscal year	359,811	351,918	356,397
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	274,749	269,745
Actual return on plan assets	26,738	15,243
Foreign currency exchange rate changes	(14,904)	(838)
Employer contribution	9,916	8,542
Plan participants' contributions	487	462
Curtailments and settlements	(3,146)	(5,960)
Benefits paid	(12,730)	(12,445)
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	281,110	274,749	¥ 269,745
Funded status at end of the fiscal year	¥ (78,701)	¥ (77,169)

Pension and Severance Plans (Am

Pension and Severance Plans (Amounts Recognized in Consolidated Balance Sheets) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Noncurrent assets	¥ 3,391	¥ 3,476
Noncurrent liabilities	(225,048)	(296,226)
Ending balance	(221,657)	(292,750)
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Noncurrent assets	24,777	14,745
Current liabilities	(4,355)	(4,412)
Noncurrent liabilities	(99,123)	(87,502)
Ending balance	¥ (78,701)	¥ (77,169)

Pension and Severance Plans (_2

Pension and Severance Plans (Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Excluding Tax Effects) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Prior service cost (credit)	¥ (369)	¥ (8,859)
Net actuarial loss	223,354	311,128
Ending balance	222,985	302,269
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Prior service cost (credit)	10,058	(45)
Net actuarial loss	66,326	71,906
Ending balance	¥ 76,384	¥ 71,861

Pension and Severance Plans (Ac

Pension and Severance Plans (Accumulated Benefit Obligations for All Defined Benefit Pension Plans) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligations	¥ 654,209	¥ 1,029,910
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligations	¥ 354,100	¥ 336,185

Pension and Severance Plans (Pr

Pension and Severance Plans (Projected Benefit Obligations, Accumulated Benefit Obligations and Fair Value of Plan Assets for Pension Plans with Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Projected benefit obligations	¥ 645,544	¥ 1,022,235
Accumulated benefit obligations	640,890	1,017,191
Fair value of plan assets	420,497	726,009
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Projected benefit obligations	230,058	200,596
Accumulated benefit obligations	226,080	196,928
Fair value of plan assets	¥ 130,955	¥ 123,937

Pension and Severance Plans (We

Pension and Severance Plans (Weighted-Average Assumptions Used to Determine Benefit Obligations and Net Periodic Benefit Costs) (Detail)		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan, Weighted Average Assumptions Used in Calculating Benefit Obligation [Abstract]
Discount rate		0.60%	0.60%
Rate of compensation increase	[1]
Defined Benefit Plan, Weighted Average Assumptions Used in Calculating Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Discount rate		0.60%	0.80%	0.90%
Expected return on plan assets		2.60%	2.60%	2.40%
Rate of compensation increase	[1]
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan, Weighted Average Assumptions Used in Calculating Benefit Obligation [Abstract]
Discount rate		2.00%	2.80%
Rate of compensation increase		2.20%	2.30%
Defined Benefit Plan, Weighted Average Assumptions Used in Calculating Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Discount rate		2.80%	2.90%	3.10%
Expected return on plan assets		4.20%	4.40%	4.60%
Rate of compensation increase		2.30%	2.60%	2.40%
[1]	Substantially all of Sony’s Japanese pension plans were point-based. Point-based plans do not incorporate a measure of compensation rate increases.

Pension and Severance Plans (Fa

Pension and Severance Plans (Fair Values of Assets Held by Japanese and Foreign Plans) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2019		Mar. 31, 2018
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		¥ 437,206		¥ 742,204		¥ 711,077
Japan | Cash and cash equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		24,851		10,689
Japan | Equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[1]	50,646		140,559
Japan | Government bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[2]	107,478		210,817
Japan | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[3]	71,192		97,519
Japan | Asset-backed securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[4]	1,090		1,537
Japan | Commingled funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[5]	58,740		138,455
Japan | Commodity Funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[6]	21,823		21,674
Japan | Private equity
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[7]	30,191		27,956
Japan | Hedge funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[8]	48,410		71,606
Japan | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[9]	22,785		21,392
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		281,110		274,749		269,745
Foreign plans | Cash and cash equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		4,632		4,340
Foreign plans | Equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[10]	18,380		23,766
Foreign plans | Government bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[11]	93,826		84,761
Foreign plans | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[12]	31,769		32,749
Foreign plans | Asset-backed securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		1,320		1,115
Foreign plans | Commingled funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[13]	78,280		76,503
Foreign plans | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[9]	33,569		33,207
Foreign plans | Insurance contracts
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[14]	19,334		18,308
Level 1 | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		73,266		146,402
Level 1 | Japan | Cash and cash equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		24,851		10,689
Level 1 | Japan | Equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[1]	47,308		135,713
Level 1 | Japan | Government bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[2]	1,087
Level 1 | Japan | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[3]	20
Level 1 | Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		22,394		27,453
Level 1 | Foreign plans | Cash and cash equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		4,632		4,340
Level 1 | Foreign plans | Equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[10]	17,762		23,113
Level 2 | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		259,968		474,848
Level 2 | Japan | Equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[1]	3,338		4,846
Level 2 | Japan | Government bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[2]	106,391		210,817
Level 2 | Japan | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[3]	71,172		97,519
Level 2 | Japan | Asset-backed securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[4]	1,090		1,537
Level 2 | Japan | Commingled funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[5]	58,740		138,455
Level 2 | Japan | Commodity Funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[6]	21,823		21,674
Level 2 | Japan | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[9]	(2,586)
Level 2 | Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		224,241		212,713
Level 2 | Foreign plans | Equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[10]	618		653
Level 2 | Foreign plans | Government bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[11]	93,826		84,761
Level 2 | Foreign plans | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[12]	31,769		32,749
Level 2 | Foreign plans | Asset-backed securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		1,320		1,115
Level 2 | Foreign plans | Commingled funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[13]	78,280		76,503
Level 2 | Foreign plans | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[9]	11,272		11,118
Level 2 | Foreign plans | Insurance contracts
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held	[14]	7,156		5,814
Level 3 | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		103,972		120,954		113,779
Level 3 | Japan | Private equity
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		30,191	[7]	27,956	[7]	24,144
Level 3 | Japan | Hedge funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		48,410	[8]	71,606	[8]	70,204
Level 3 | Japan | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		25,371	[9]	21,392	[9]	19,431
Level 3 | Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		34,475		34,583		44,008
Level 3 | Foreign plans | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held						5,303
Level 3 | Foreign plans | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		22,297	[9]	22,089	[9]	25,976
Level 3 | Foreign plans | Insurance contracts
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair values of the assets held		¥ 12,178	[14]	¥ 12,494	[14]	¥ 12,729
[1]	Includes approximately 51 percent and 37 percent of Japanese equity securities, and 49 percent and 63 percent of foreign equity securities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.
[2]	Includes approximately 48 percent and 36 percent of debt securities issued by Japanese national and local governments, and 52 percent and 64 percent of debt securities issued by foreign national and local governments for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.
[3]	Includes debt securities issued by Japanese and foreign corporation and government related agencies.
[4]	Includes primarily mortgage-backed securities.
[5]	Commingled funds represent pooled institutional investments, including primarily investment trusts. They include approximately 50 percent and 50 percent of investments in equity, 49 percent and 45 percent of investments in fixed income, and 1 percent and 5 percent of investments in other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.
[6]	Represents commodity futures funds.
[7]	Includes multiple private equity funds of funds that primarily invest in venture, buyout, and distressed markets in the United States and Europe.
[8]	Includes primarily funds that invest in a portfolio of a broad range of hedge funds to diversify the risks and reduce the volatilities associated with a single hedge fund.
[9]	Includes primarily private real estate investment trusts.
[10]	Includes primarily foreign equity securities.
[11]	Includes primarily foreign government debt securities.
[12]	Includes primarily foreign corporate debt securities.
[13]	Commingled funds represent pooled institutional investments including mutual funds, common trust funds, and collective investment funds. They are primarily comprised of foreign equities and fixed income investments.
[14]	Represents annuity contracts with or without profit sharing.

Pension and Severance Plans (_3

Pension and Severance Plans (Fair Values of Assets Held by Japanese and Foreign Plans) (Parenthetical) (Detail)	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Commingled funds | Equity securities | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments	50.00%	50.00%
Commingled funds | Fixed Income Securities | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments	45.00%	49.00%
Commingled funds | Other investment funds | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments	5.00%	1.00%
Japanese equity securities | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments	37.00%	51.00%
Foreign equity securities | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments	63.00%	49.00%
Japanese National and Local Government Debt Securities | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments	36.00%	48.00%
Foreign National and Local Government Debt Securities | Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of investments	64.00%	52.00%

Pension and Severance Plans (Su

Pension and Severance Plans (Summary of Changes in Fair Values of Japanese and Foreign Plans' Level Three Assets) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2019
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		¥ 742,204		¥ 711,077
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year		437,206		742,204
Japan | Private equity
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	[1]	27,956
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[1]	30,191		27,956
Japan | Hedge funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	[2]	71,606
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[2]	48,410		71,606
Japan | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	[3]	97,519
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[3]	71,192		97,519
Japan | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	[4]	21,392
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[4]	22,785		21,392
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		274,749		269,745
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year		281,110		274,749
Foreign plans | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	[5]	32,749
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[5]	31,769		32,749
Foreign plans | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	[4]	33,207
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[4]	33,569		33,207
Foreign plans | Insurance contracts
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year	[6]	18,308
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[6]	19,334		18,308
Level 3 | Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		120,954		113,779
Return on assets held at end of year		2,419		6,709
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		(19,401)		466
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year		103,972		120,954
Level 3 | Japan | Private equity
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		27,956	[1]	24,144
Return on assets held at end of year		2,649		4,428
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		(414)		(616)
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[1]	30,191		27,956
Level 3 | Japan | Hedge funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		71,606	[2]	70,204
Return on assets held at end of year		(648)		659
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		(22,548)		743
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[2]	48,410		71,606
Level 3 | Japan | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		21,392	[4]	19,431
Return on assets held at end of year		418		1,622
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		3,561		339
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[4]	25,371		21,392
Level 3 | Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		34,583		44,008
Return on assets held at end of year		691		1,295
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		382		(4,198)
Transfers, net				(5,417)
Other	[7]	(1,181)		(1,105)
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year		34,475		34,583
Level 3 | Foreign plans | Corporate bonds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year				5,303
Transfers, net				(5,540)
Other	[7]			237
Level 3 | Foreign plans | Real estate and other
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		22,089	[4]	25,976
Return on assets held at end of year		132		559
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		755		(3,809)
Transfers, net				123
Other	[7]	(679)		(760)
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[4]	22,297		22,089
Level 3 | Foreign plans | Insurance contracts
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		12,494	[6]	12,729
Return on assets held at end of year		559		736
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		(373)		(389)
Other	[7]	(502)		(582)
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year	[6]	¥ 12,178		¥ 12,494
[1]	Includes multiple private equity funds of funds that primarily invest in venture, buyout, and distressed markets in the United States and Europe.
[2]	Includes primarily funds that invest in a portfolio of a broad range of hedge funds to diversify the risks and reduce the volatilities associated with a single hedge fund.
[3]	Includes debt securities issued by Japanese and foreign corporation and government related agencies.
[4]	Includes primarily private real estate investment trusts.
[5]	Includes primarily foreign corporate debt securities.
[6]	Represents annuity contracts with or without profit sharing.
[7]	Primarily consists of translation adjustments.

Pension and Severance Plans (Ex

Pension and Severance Plans (Expected Future Benefit Payments) (Detail) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
2021	¥ 37,384
2022	36,228
2023	36,985
2024	38,271
2025	37,216
2026 - 2030	185,218
Foreign plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
2021	20,825
2022	104,988
2023	12,089
2024	12,269
2025	13,074
2026 - 2030	¥ 112,218

Pension and Severance Plans (To

Pension and Severance Plans (Total Defined Contribution Expenses) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Japan
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined contribution expenses	¥ 6,925	¥ 3,353	¥ 3,237
Foreign plans
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined contribution expenses	¥ 10,313	¥ 11,602	¥ 11,379

Stockholders' Equity (Changes i

Stockholders' Equity (Changes in Number of Shares of Common Stock Issued and Outstanding) (Detail) - shares	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Equity [Abstract]
Common stock, shares issued, beginning balance	1,271,230,341	1,266,552,149	1,263,763,660
Issuance of new shares	184,900	149,900	218,000
Exercise of stock acquisition rights	2,294,900	4,525,300	2,565,700
Conversion of convertible bonds	86,040	2,992	4,789
Cancellation of treasury stock	(12,737,400)
Common stock, shares issued, ending balance	1,261,058,781	1,271,230,341	1,266,552,149

Stockholders' Equity - Addition

Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Millions, $ in Millions	Nov. 18, 2019JPY (¥)	Nov. 18, 2019USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)shares	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)shares	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)shares	Mar. 26, 2020shares
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Common stock shares would be issued upon conversion or exercise of all convertible bonds and stock acquisition rights outstanding | shares			36,802,040
Number of shares repurchased | shares			33,059,200	19,309,100	19,309,100
Stock repurchase amount | ¥			¥ 199,999	¥ 100,000
Retained earnings available for dividends to shareholders | ¥			683,084
Undistributed earnings of affiliated companies accounted for by equity method | ¥			¥ 61,226	¥ 46,477
Treasury Stock [Member]
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Number of treasury stocks retired during the period | shares						12,737,400
Nile Acquisition LLC
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Percentage of equity ownership				25.10%
Businesses acquisition payment of cash consideration | $					$ 287.5
Decrease to additional paid-in capital resulting from difference between cash consideration paid and decrease in noncontrolling interests | $					$ 295.9
Game Show Network, LLC [Member]
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Percentage of equity ownership	42.00%	42.00%
Businesses acquisition payment of cash consideration	¥ 53,992	$ 496
Dividends distributed | $		$ 129

Stockholders' Equity (Changes_2

Stockholders' Equity (Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2019		Mar. 31, 2018
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	¥ 4,436,690		¥ 3,647,157		¥ 3,135,422
Cumulative effect of ASU2016-01			(2,118)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	(48,774)		22,063		(2,983)
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income	92,546	[1]	6,929	[1]	8,924
Net other comprehensive income	43,772		28,992		5,941
Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	14,082		7,390		3,918
Ending Balance	4,789,535		4,436,690		3,647,157
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(610,670)		(616,746)		(618,769)
Cumulative effect of ASU2016-01			(15,526)
Ending Balance	(580,980)		(610,670)		(616,746)
Unrealized gains (losses) on securities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	135,035		126,191		126,635
Cumulative effect of ASU2016-01			(15,526)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	40,334		33,124		2,013
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income	56	[1]	161	[1]	(943)
Net other comprehensive income	40,390		33,285		1,070
Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	14,234		8,915		1,514
Ending Balance	161,191		135,035		126,191
Pension liability adjustment
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(310,457)		(296,444)		(308,736)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	(17,519)		(23,448)		1,779
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income	92,490	[1]	9,488	[1]	10,611
Net other comprehensive income	74,971		(13,960)		12,390
Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	34		53		98
Ending Balance	(235,520)		(310,457)		(296,444)
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(435,229)		(445,251)		(436,610)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	(75,814)		10,071		(4,480)
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income	(74)	[1]	(1,627)	[1]	(1,855)
Net other comprehensive income	(75,888)		8,444		(6,335)
Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,245)		(1,578)		2,306
Ending Balance	(509,872)		(435,229)		(445,251)
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(19)		(1,242)		(58)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	1,193		2,316		(2,295)
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income	74	[1]	(1,093)	[1]	1,111
Net other comprehensive income	1,267		1,223		(1,184)
Ending Balance	1,248		¥ (19)		¥ (1,242)
Debt valuation adjustments
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	3,032
Net other comprehensive income	3,032
Less: Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,059
Ending Balance	¥ 1,973
[1]	Foreign currency translation adjustments were transferred from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income as a result of a complete or substantially complete liquidation or sale of certain foreign subsidiaries and affiliates.

Stockholders' Equity (Reclassif

Stockholders' Equity (Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of sales	¥ (4,753,174)		¥ (5,150,750)	¥ (5,188,259)
Income before income taxes	799,450		1,011,648	699,049
Tax expense or (benefit)	(177,190)		(45,098)	(151,770)
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	582,191		916,271	490,794
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	92,546		6,929	8,924
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | Unrealized gains (losses) on securities
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Financial services revenue	82		235	(646)
Gain on sale of securities investments, net				(561)
Income before income taxes	82		235	(1,207)
Tax expense or (benefit)	(26)		(74)	264
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	56		161	(943)
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of sales			(1,093)	1,111
Net sales	106
Income before income taxes	106		(1,093)	1,111
Tax expense or (benefit)	(32)
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	74		(1,093)	1,111
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | Pension liability adjustment
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Pension liability adjustment	92,514	[1]	9,891	11,034
Tax expense or (benefit)	(24)		(403)	(423)
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	92,490		9,488	10,611
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | Foreign currency translation adjustments
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(74)		(1,627)	(1,855)
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	¥ (74)		¥ (1,627)	¥ (1,855)
[1]	The amortization of pension and postretirement benefit components are included in the computation of net periodic pension cost. Refer to Note 15.

Stockholders' Equity (Net Incom

Stockholders' Equity (Net Income Attributable to Sony Corporation's Stockholders and Transfers (to) from Noncontrolling Interests) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Equity [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	¥ 582,191	¥ 916,271	¥ 490,794
Transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests:
Increase (decrease) in additional paid-in capital for purchase of additional shares in consolidated subsidiaries	16,372	(22,775)	(74)
Change from net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders and transfers (to) from the noncontrolling interests	¥ 598,563	¥ 893,496	¥ 490,720

Stock-Based Compensation Plan_2

Stock-Based Compensation Plans - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ / shares in Units, ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	¥ 5,958	¥ 5,499	¥ 5,249
Total cash received from exercise of stock acquisition rights plans	¥ 7,560	¥ 12,757	¥ 7,129
Stock Acquisition Rights Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity-based compensation plan, vesting period	3 years
Weighted-average fair value per share of stock acquisition rights granted	¥ 1,864	¥ 1,593	¥ 2,045
Total intrinsic value of shares exercised under stock acquisition rights plan	¥ 7,575	¥ 13,325	¥ 6,970
Total unrecognized compensation expense	¥ 5,912
Total unrecognized compensation expense, weighted-average period to be recognized	1 year 11 months 19 days
Stock Acquisition Rights Plan | Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity-based compensation plan, expiration period	10 years

Stock-Based Compensation Plan_3

Stock-Based Compensation Plans (Weighted-Average Assumptions used to Determine Fair Value of Stock Acquisition Rights Granted) (Detail)		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Risk-free interest rate		0.70%	1.37%	1.14%
Expected lives		5 years 8 months 23 days	5 years 11 months 23 days	6 years 6 months 18 days
Expected volatility	[1]	29.30%	32.52%	38.49%
Expected dividends		0.32%	0.35%	0.40%
[1]	Expected volatility was based on the historical volatilities of Sony Corporation’s common stock over the expected life of the stock acquisition rights.

Stock-Based Compensation Plan_4

Stock-Based Compensation Plans (Summary of Activities Regarding Stock Acquisition Rights Plan) (Detail) - JPY (¥)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Number of shares
Exercised	2,294,900	4,525,300	2,565,700
Stock Acquisition Rights Plan
Number of shares
Outstanding at beginning of the fiscal year	12,213,900
Granted	3,279,700
Exercised	2,294,900
Forfeited or expired	322,000
Outstanding at end of the fiscal year	12,876,700	12,213,900
Exercisable at end of the fiscal year	6,235,700
Weighted average exercise price
Outstanding at beginning of the fiscal year	¥ 3,665
Granted	6,669
Exercised	3,294
Forfeited or expired	5,500
Outstanding at end of the fiscal year	4,982	¥ 3,665
Exercisable at end of the fiscal year	¥ 3,581
Weighted-average remaining life
Outstanding at end of the fiscal year	7 years 6 months 7 days
Exercisable at end of the fiscal year	6 years 5 months 4 days
Total intrinsic Value
Outstanding at end of the fiscal year	¥ 19,459
Exercisable at end of the fiscal year	¥ 15,552

Kumamoto Earthquake - Additiona

Kumamoto Earthquake - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Business Interruption Loss [Line Items]
Incremental losses and associated expenses directly related to the damage caused by earthquakes, together with other expenses		¥ 4,753,174	¥ 5,150,750	¥ 5,188,259
Insurance claim paid by insurance carriers	¥ 20,000
Other Operating Revenue
Business Interruption Loss [Line Items]
Difference amount recorded in other operating revenue from insurance recoveries	9,318
Repair Costs of Fixed Assets and a Loss on Disposal of Inventories
Business Interruption Loss [Line Items]
Incremental losses and associated expenses directly related to the damage caused by earthquakes, together with other expenses					¥ 16,682
Insurance recoveries					10,682
Insurance receivables agreed by insurance carriers					10,000
Remaining insurance receivables					682
Amount due to certain carrier as reinsurance					2,000
Amount paid to insurance carriers				¥ 2,000
Idle Facility Costs at Manufacturing Sites
Business Interruption Loss [Line Items]
Incremental losses and associated expenses directly related to the damage caused by earthquakes, together with other expenses					¥ 9,365
Business Interruption Coverage
Business Interruption Loss [Line Items]
Insurance receivables agreed by insurance carriers	¥ 10,000

Revenue - Schedule of Receivabl

Revenue - Schedule of Receivables, Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Contract with customer, asset and liability
Receivables from contracts with customers	[1]	¥ 1,126,597	¥ 1,183,115
Contract assets	[1]	13,985	19,147
Contract liabilities	[2]	¥ 271,286	¥ 254,646
[1]	Receivables from contracts with customers and contract assets are included in the consolidated balance sheets as “Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets” and “Other”, non-current.
[2]	Contract liabilities are included in the consolidated balance sheets as “Other”, both current and non-current.

Revenue - Additional Informatio

Revenue - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Revenue From Contract With Customers [Line Items]
Revenue recognized related to contract liability	¥ 204,265
Revenue recognized related to performance obligation satisfied in previous period	¥ 61,706
Remaining performance obligation expected timing of satisfaction, description	Remaining (unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied) performance obligations represent future revenues not yet recorded for firm orders that have not yet been performed. Sony applies practical expedients to exclude certain information about the remaining performance obligations, primarily related to contracts with an expected original duration of less than one year, and sales-based or usage-based royalty revenue on licenses of intellectual property.
Remaining performance obligation expected timing of satisfaction, explanation	more than half are expected to be recognized within one year and substantially all within three years.
Amortization of contract costs	¥ 6,420
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction, Start Date [Axis]: 2020-03-31 | Minimum
Revenue From Contract With Customers [Line Items]
Remaining performance obligation expected timing of satisfaction	1 year
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction, Start Date [Axis]: 2020-03-31 | Maximum
Revenue From Contract With Customers [Line Items]
Remaining performance obligation expected timing of satisfaction	3 years

Revenue - Summary of Remaining

Revenue - Summary of Remaining Performance Obligations that are Unsatisfied (Detail) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Music
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction [Line Items]
Revenue, remaining performance obligation	¥ 44,971	[1]
Others
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction [Line Items]
Revenue, remaining performance obligation	47,126
Motion Pictures and Television Productions | Pictures
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction [Line Items]
Revenue, remaining performance obligation	569,081	[2]
Media Networks | Pictures
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction [Line Items]
Revenue, remaining performance obligation	¥ 22,333
[1]	Amount included in the Music segment primarily consists of minimum royalty guarantees or fixed fees in contracts related to license revenue for ongoing access to an evolving library of content. These contracts also include the potential for sales-based or usage-based royalties to exceed the minimum guarantees, and these additional royalties are excluded from the amount above, of which substantially all are recognized as revenue within three years.
[2]	For Motion Pictures and Television Productions in the Pictures segment, Sony has included all contracts regardless of duration.

Revenue - Schedule of Contract

Revenue - Schedule of Contract Costs (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Obtaining Contract
Capitalized Contract Cost [Line Items]
Capitalized contract cost	¥ 7,464	¥ 6,581

Restructuring Charges - Additio

Restructuring Charges - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Restructuring Charges [Line Items]
Restructuring and related activities, term description	The restructuring activities are generally short term in nature and are generally completed within one year of initiation.
Restructuring costs	¥ 24,710	¥ 33,005	¥ 22,379
Music
Restructuring Charges [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	3,185	3,192	6,630
Pictures
Restructuring Charges [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	545	4,795	2,922
Electronics Products & Solutions
Restructuring Charges [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	14,727	16,011	3,502
Headcount Reduction | Music
Restructuring Charges [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	3,185	3,192	¥ 6,630
Headcount Reduction | Pictures
Restructuring Charges [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		4,795
Manufacturing Sites and Sales Officers in Overseas [Member] | Electronics Products & Solutions
Restructuring Charges [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	¥ 14,727	¥ 16,011

Restructuring Charges (Changes

Restructuring Charges (Changes in Accrued Restructuring Charges) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Accrued restructuring charges, beginning balance		¥ 32,841	¥ 23,674	¥ 20,801
Restructuring costs		24,710	33,005	22,379
Non-cash charges		(100)	(2,731)	(2,233)
Cash payments		(30,088)	(21,705)	(16,302)
Adjustments		(805)	598	(971)
Accrued restructuring charges, ending balance		26,558	32,841	23,674
Employee termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Accrued restructuring charges, beginning balance		25,740	19,486	11,634
Restructuring costs		22,957	24,449	18,999
Cash payments		(23,385)	(19,150)	(9,950)
Adjustments		(674)	955	(1,197)
Accrued restructuring charges, ending balance		24,638	25,740	19,486
Non-cash write-downs and disposals, net
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	[1]	100	2,731	2,233
Non-cash charges	[1]	(100)	(2,731)	(2,233)
Other associated costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Accrued restructuring charges, beginning balance		7,101	4,188	9,167
Restructuring costs		1,653	5,825	1,147
Cash payments		(6,703)	(2,555)	(6,352)
Adjustments		(131)	(357)	226
Accrued restructuring charges, ending balance		¥ 1,920	¥ 7,101	¥ 4,188
[1]	Significant asset impairments excluded from restructuring charges are described in Note 13.

Restructuring Charges (Total Co

Restructuring Charges (Total Costs Incurred in Connection with Restructuring Programs by Segment) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		¥ 24,710	¥ 33,005	¥ 22,379
Depreciation associated with restructured assets		256	86	26
Total		24,966	33,091	22,405
Music
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		3,185	3,192	6,630
Total		3,185	3,192	6,630
Pictures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		545	4,795	2,922
Total		545	4,795	2,922
Electronics Products & Solutions
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		14,727	16,011	3,502
Depreciation associated with restructured assets			86	0
Total		14,727	16,097	3,502
Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs				28
Total				28
All Other and Corporate
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		6,253	9,007	9,297
Depreciation associated with restructured assets		256		26
Total		6,509	9,007	9,323
Employee termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		22,957	24,449	18,999
Employee termination benefits | Music
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		3,179	2,991	6,358
Employee termination benefits | Pictures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		545	4,795	2,922
Employee termination benefits | Electronics Products & Solutions
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		14,500	11,437	3,384
Employee termination benefits | Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs				28
Employee termination benefits | All Other and Corporate
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs		4,733	5,226	6,307
Other associated costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	[1]	1,753	8,556	3,380
Other associated costs | Music
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	[1]	6	201	272
Other associated costs | Electronics Products & Solutions
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	[1]	227	4,574	118
Other associated costs | All Other and Corporate
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	[1]	¥ 1,520	¥ 3,781	¥ 2,990
[1]	Other associated costs includes non-cash write-downs and disposals, net

Supplemental Consolidated Sta_3

Supplemental Consolidated Statements of Income Information (Components of Other Operating (Income) Expense, Net) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Component Of Other Operating Income And Expense [Line Items]
(Gain) loss on purchase/sale of interests in subsidiaries and affiliates, net	[1]	¥ (12,801)	¥ (1,557)	¥ (29,613)
(Gain) loss on sale, disposal or impairment of assets, net	[2]	29,778	46,928	38,599
Other		(1,495)
Other operating (income) expense, net		(3,611)	(71,568)	4,072
AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd
Component Of Other Operating Income And Expense [Line Items]
Gain on remeasurement of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. shares	[3]	(1,827)
EMI Music Publishing
Component Of Other Operating Income And Expense [Line Items]
Gain on remeasurement of AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd. shares	[3]		¥ (116,939)
SRE shares [Member]
Component Of Other Operating Income And Expense [Line Items]
Gain on remeasurement and sale of SRE shares	[4]	¥ (17,266)
Sony City Osaki
Component Of Other Operating Income And Expense [Line Items]
Gain on sale of building	[5]			¥ (4,914)
[1]	Refer to Notes 25 and 26.
[2]	Refer to Notes 9, 13, 20 and 26.
[3]	Refer to Notes 5 and 25.
[4]	Refer to Note 5.
[5]	A portion of gain on sale and leaseback transactions is deferred and is amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Supplemental Consolidated Sta_4

Supplemental Consolidated Statements of Income Information - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Components of Other Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Research and development costs	¥ 499,290	¥ 481,202	¥ 458,518
Advertising costs included in selling general and administrative expenses	359,458	385,500	407,106
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1,502,625	1,576,825	1,583,197
Shipping and Handling [Member]
Components of Other Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	¥ 46,196	¥ 51,757	¥ 46,252

Income Taxes (Components of Dom

Income Taxes (Components of Domestic and Foreign Income and Provision for Current and Deferred Income Taxes) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Income before income taxes:
Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan	¥ 466,253	¥ 310,020	¥ 436,494
Foreign subsidiaries	333,197	701,628	262,555
Income before income taxes	799,450	1,011,648	699,049
Income taxes - Current:
Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan	105,755	82,081	69,697
Foreign subsidiaries	66,636	84,667	57,988
Current	172,391	166,748	127,685
Income taxes - Deferred:
Sony Corporation and all subsidiaries in Japan	9,421	17,907	29,640
Foreign subsidiaries	(4,622)	(139,557)	(5,555)
Deferred	4,799	(121,650)	24,085
Total income tax expense	¥ 177,190	¥ 45,098	¥ 151,770

Income Taxes (Reconciliation of

Income Taxes (Reconciliation of Statutory Tax Rate and Effective Tax Rate) (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Reconciliation of Effective Income Tax Rate [Line Items]
Statutory tax rate	31.50%	31.50%	31.50%
Non-deductible expenses	0.30%	0.70%	0.80%
Income tax credits	(1.70%)	(1.60%)	(0.60%)
Change in statutory tax rate and law	(0.40%)	(0.30%)	(1.20%)
Change in valuation allowances (other than the 2019 reversal of Sony Americas Holding Inc. ("SAHI") and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group below)	(8.10%)	2.30%	(5.20%)
The 2019 reversal of valuation allowances of SAHI and its U.S. consolidated tax filing group		(15.30%)
Change in deferred tax liabilities on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures	0.20%	(0.10%)	(0.80%)
Lower tax rate applied to life and non-life insurance business in Japan	(0.60%)	(0.50%)	(0.80%)
Foreign income tax differential	(2.40%)	(6.40%)	(2.60%)
Adjustments to tax reserves	0.90%	(0.30%)	(0.80%)
Effect of equity in net income of affiliated companies	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
The remeasurement gain for the equity interest in EMI		(2.40%)
Japan controlled foreign company taxation	5.30%	0.00%
Other	(2.80%)	(3.10%)	1.40%
Effective income tax rate	22.20%	4.50%	21.70%

Income Taxes - Additional Infor

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			20 Months Ended	27 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2020
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Statutory tax rate		31.50%	31.50%	31.50%
Minimum base erosion anti abuse tax		10.00%	6.25%
Beat threshold percentage			3.00%
Net increase (decrease) in total valuation allowance	¥ 154,201	¥ 114,871	¥ 176,721	¥ 152,129
Valuation allowance		608,243	723,114			¥ 608,243
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures not expected to be remitted, for which deferred income taxes have not been provided		1,019,525				1,019,525
Deferred tax liabilities not accounted for undistributed earnings		16,312				16,312
Gain on sale of subsidiary stock		61,544
Operating loss carryforwards for tax purposes		348,714	413,494			348,714
Operating loss carryforwards for tax purposes with no expiration period		96,890				96,890
Tax credit carryforwards		94,900	117,471			94,900
Tax credit carryforwards with no expiration period		15,059				15,059
Interest expense recorded		1,276	1,479	1,053
Penalties recorded		117	218	876
Liabilities recorded for the payments of interest		8,033	9,309	10,788		8,033
Liabilities recorded for the payments of penalties		4,971	¥ 4,855	¥ 4,637		4,971
Maximum unrecognized tax benefits expected reduction within the next 12 months		1,791				1,791
National Taxes
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Valuation allowance		274,761				274,761
Local Taxes
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Valuation allowance		¥ 125,465				¥ 125,465
U.S. [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Statutory tax rate		21.00%	21.00%		35.00%	21.00%
Earliest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Total net operating loss carryforwards expiration date		Mar. 31, 2021
Tax credit carryforwards expiration date		Mar. 31, 2021
Earliest Tax Year | Domestic country
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax years subject to examinations		2010
Earliest Tax Year | Foreign country
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax years subject to examinations		2006
Earliest Tax Year | Us Tax Authority [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax years subject to examinations		2016
Latest Tax Year
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Total net operating loss carryforwards expiration date		Mar. 31, 2024
Tax credit carryforwards expiration date		Mar. 31, 2030
Latest Tax Year | Domestic country
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax years subject to examinations		2019
Latest Tax Year | Foreign country
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax years subject to examinations		2019
Latest Tax Year | Us Tax Authority [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax years subject to examinations		2019

Income Taxes (Components of Def

Income Taxes (Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Deferred tax assets:
Operating loss carryforwards for tax purposes	¥ 348,714	¥ 413,494
Accrued pension and severance costs	77,559	103,652
Amortization including film costs	65,349	86,196
Lease liability	100,720
Warranty reserves and accrued expenses	116,234	108,515
Future insurance policy benefits	42,056	36,683
Inventory	15,512	19,716
Depreciation	39,085	34,638
Tax credit carryforwards	94,900	117,471
Loss on equity securities	11,815
Reserve for doubtful accounts	9,090	9,136
Impairment of investments	6,029	12,278
Deferred revenue	24,420	19,081
Other	122,591	169,897
Gross deferred tax assets	1,074,074	1,130,757
Less: Valuation allowance	(608,243)	(723,114)
Total deferred tax assets	465,831	407,643
Deferred tax liabilities:
Insurance acquisition costs	(170,868)	(169,244)
Future insurance policy benefits	(193,315)	(181,052)
Right-of-use assets	(96,970)
Unrealized gains on securities	(92,791)	(75,573)
Gain on equity securities	0	(33,082)
Intangible assets acquired through stock exchange offerings	(23,949)	(23,949)
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries and corporate joint ventures	(25,359)	(15,758)
Investment in M3	(38,303)	(37,007)
Other	(47,319)	(62,092)
Gross deferred tax liabilities	(804,997)	(736,578)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(339,166)	(328,935)
Pictures
Deferred tax liabilities:
Unbilled accounts receivable in the Pictures segment	(26,214)	(44,842)
EMI Music Publishing
Deferred tax liabilities:
Intangible assets acquired through stock exchange offerings	¥ (89,909)	¥ (93,979)

Income Taxes (Reconciliation _2

Income Taxes (Reconciliation of Beginning and Ending Gross Amounts of Unrecognized Tax Benefits) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Balance at beginning of the fiscal year	¥ 50,577	¥ 95,425	¥ 119,529
Reductions for tax positions of prior years	(331)	(31,396)	(8,809)
Additions for tax positions of prior years	162	3,094	4,681
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	8,074	2,594	5,740
Settlements	(13,240)	(4,235)	(21,893)
Lapse in statute of limitations	(1,251)	(14,824)	(3,469)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(2,723)	(81)	(354)
Balance at end of the fiscal year	41,268	50,577	95,425
Total net amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate	¥ 29,539	¥ 35,004	¥ 39,308

Reconciliation of the Differe_3

Reconciliation of the Differences between Basic and Diluted EPS (Reconciliation of the Differences between Basic and Diluted EPS) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders for basic and diluted EPS computation	¥ 582,191	¥ 916,271	¥ 490,794
Weighted-average shares outstanding	1,234,408	1,266,592	1,263,895
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock acquisition rights	3,853	4,088	4,565
Zero coupon convertible bonds	23,994	23,966	23,960
Weighted-average shares for diluted EPS computation	1,262,255	1,294,646	1,292,420
Basic EPS	¥ 471.64	¥ 723.41	¥ 388.32
Diluted EPS	¥ 461.23	¥ 707.74	¥ 379.75

Reconciliation of the Differe_4

Reconciliation of the Differences between Basic and Diluted EPS - Additional Information (Detail) - shares shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Potential shares of common stock upon the exercise of stock acquisition rights and convertible bonds excluded from the computation of diluted EPS	3,212	5,731	2,921

Variable Interest Entities - Ad

Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) - Joint ventures with companies involved in production and creation of recorded music ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable interest entity primary beneficiary, aggregate total liabilities	¥ 25,100
Joint ventures with companies involved in production and creation of recorded music
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable interest entity primary beneficiary, aggregate total assets	¥ 46,154

Variable Interest Entities (Sum

Variable Interest Entities (Summary of the Carrying Value of the Variable Interests) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Maximum exposure to loss		¥ 924,450	¥ 462,301
Equity securities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Maximum exposure to loss	[1]	587,602	146,031
Securitized Products
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Maximum exposure to loss		210,641	195,190
Foreign Corporate Bonds
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Maximum exposure to loss	[2]	82,488	95,392
Other investments
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Maximum exposure to loss		43,719	25,688
Marketable securities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets		621,225	165,441
Marketable securities | Equity securities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets	[1]	579,773	135,552
Marketable securities | Foreign Corporate Bonds
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets	[2]		29,889
Marketable securities | Other investments
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets		41,452
Securities investments and other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets		274,159	269,725
Securities investments and other | Equity securities
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets	[1]	6,229	8,485
Securities investments and other | Securitized Products
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets		210,641	191,049
Securities investments and other | Foreign Corporate Bonds
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets	[2]	41,036	65,503
Securities investments and other | Other investments
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets		16,253	4,688
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets		21,000	21,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | Other investments
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Carrying Amount, Assets		¥ 21,000	¥ 21,000
[1]	Equity securities include Investment funds.
[2]	Foreign corporate bonds include repackaged bonds.

Acquisitions - Additional Infor

Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Millions, $ in Millions	Jan. 29, 2020JPY (¥)	Dec. 09, 2019JPY (¥)	Dec. 09, 2019USD ($)	Nov. 15, 2019JPY (¥)	Nov. 15, 2019USD ($)	Nov. 14, 2018JPY (¥)	Nov. 14, 2018USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2019JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018JPY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 19, 2019	Dec. 09, 2019USD ($)	Nov. 15, 2019USD ($)	Nov. 14, 2018USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill								¥ 768,552		¥ 783,888	¥ 768,552		¥ 530,492
Revenue										8,259,885	8,665,687		8,543,982
Operating income										845,459	894,235		734,860
Percentage of equity interest	50.00%													44.50%	56.30%
Other acquisitions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition total consideration										6,853	7,743		27,459
Goodwill								5,773		6,778	5,773		20,013
Intangible assets acquired								4,422		¥ 2,301	4,422		¥ 4,980
EMI Music Publishing
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration for acquisition						¥ 257,168	$ 2,269
Step acquisition, percentage of equity interest acquired						60.00%												60.00%
Revenue								18,420	$ 167		28,871	$ 260
Operating income								¥ 4,522	$ 41		6,432	58
Step acquisition, percentage of equity ownership immediately before additional acquisition						40.00%												40.00%
Equity interest owned prior to acquisition at fair value											141,141	1,245
Recognized gain on remeasured equity interest											¥ 116,939	$ 1,032
Interest bearing debt amount						¥ 148,621												$ 1,311
Debt repayment						¥ 108,942	$ 961
Weighted average amortization period											43 years	43 years
Insomniac Games, Inc
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition total consideration				¥ 24,895	$ 229
Goodwill				17,945													$ 164
Intangible assets acquired				¥ 6,794													$ 62
Silvergate Media Group
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration for acquisition		¥ 21,017	$ 192
Goodwill		11,431														$ 106
Intangible assets acquired		¥ 3,387														$ 32
Silvergate Topco Limited
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Step acquisition, percentage of equity interest acquired		100.00%														100.00%
Silvergate BP Bidco Limited
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Step acquisition, percentage of equity interest acquired		31.00%														31.00%
Acquisition of equity interests in joint ventures in the life insurance business
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration for acquisition	¥ 18,750
Step acquisition, percentage of equity interest acquired	50.00%
Equity interest owned prior to acquisition at fair value	¥ 13,932
Recognized gain on remeasured equity interest	¥ 1,827
Percentage of equity interest	100.00%

Acquisitions - Summary of Purch

Acquisitions - Summary of Purchase Price Allocation (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Business Combination, Transactions [Line Items]
Goodwill	¥ 783,888	¥ 768,552	¥ 530,492
Measurement Period Adjustments [Member]
Business Combination, Transactions [Line Items]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		(98)
Goodwill		(1,206)
Total assets		(1,304)
Accrued income and other taxes		(69)
Deferred income taxes		(1,235)
Total liabilities		(1,304)
Previously Reported [Member]
Business Combination, Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		12,971
Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets		32,287
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		10,220
Securities investments and other		1,476
Intangibles, net		420,534
Goodwill		237,271
Other		10,023
Total assets		724,782
Notes and accounts payable, trade		1,731
Accounts payable, other and accrued expenses		70,675
Accrued income and other taxes		3,082
Long-term debt		148,621
Accrued pension and severance costs		1,947
Deferred income taxes		94,849
Other		5,564
Total liabilities		326,469
Acquired Assets and Liabilities at Fair Value Final [Member]
Business Combination, Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		12,971
Notes and accounts receivable, trade and contract assets		32,287
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		10,122
Securities investments and other		1,476
Intangibles, net		420,534
Goodwill		236,065
Other		10,023
Total assets		723,478
Notes and accounts payable, trade		1,731
Accounts payable, other and accrued expenses		70,675
Accrued income and other taxes		3,013
Long-term debt		148,621
Accrued pension and severance costs		1,947
Deferred income taxes		93,614
Other		5,564
Total liabilities		¥ 325,165
AEGON Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and SA Reinsurance Ltd
Business Combination, Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	27,380
Marketable securities	530,851
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,933
Goodwill	3,609
Other	406
Total assets	599,508
Future insurance policy benefits and other	66,599
Policyholders' account in the life insurance business	495,248
Other	4,979
Total liabilities	¥ 566,826

Acquisitions - Unaudited Supple

Acquisitions - Unaudited Supplemental Pro Forma Financial Information (Detail) - EMI Music Publishing - JPY (¥) ¥ / shares in Units, ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Net sales	¥ 8,738,209	¥ 8,612,280
Operating income	801,973	854,786
Net income attributable to Sony Corporation's stockholders	¥ 817,629	¥ 584,019
- Basic EPS	¥ 645.53	¥ 462.08
- Diluted EPS	¥ 631.55	¥ 451.88

Divestitures - Additional Infor

Divestitures - Additional Information (Detail) - Sony Electronics Huanan Co., Ltd [Member] ¥ in Millions, $ in Millions	Apr. 01, 2017USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018JPY (¥)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration for sale of subsidiaries	$ 234
Sales price of business	$ 95
Gain (loss) on sale of investments | ¥		¥ 28,262

Collaborative Arrangements - Ad

Collaborative Arrangements - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Cost of sales	¥ 4,753,174	¥ 5,150,750	¥ 5,188,259
Net sales	8,259,885	8,665,687	8,543,982
Pictures
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Net sales	¥ 1,010,714	985,270	1,010,173
Pictures | Collaborative Arrangements, Co-production and Distribution Arrangements
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaborative arrangement, income statement classification description	Sony and the other participants typically share in the profits from the distribution of the product in all media or markets. For motion pictures, if Sony is a net receiver of (1) Sony’s share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by the other participants less (2) the other participants’ share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by Sony then the net amount is recorded as net sales. If Sony is a net payer then the net amount is recorded in cost of sales. For television programming, Sony records its share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by the other participants as sales, and the other participants’ share of the profits from the media or markets distributed by Sony as cost of sales.
Cost of sales	¥ 33,921	42,343	49,547
Net sales	¥ 21,052	¥ 22,702	¥ 24,280

Commitments, Contingent Liabi_3

Commitments, Contingent Liabilities and Other - Additional Information (Detail) € in Millions, ¥ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2015EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchase commitments and other outstanding		¥ 684,911
Litigation case about optical disk drive business, fine from European Commission | €	€ 31
Maximum potential amount of future payments under guarantees		2,214
Financial Services
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Unused portion of lines of credit extended to customers		34,306
Pictures
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchase commitments and other outstanding		¥ 126,917
Purchase commitments and other outstanding, term		3 years
Music
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchase commitments and other outstanding		¥ 128,678
Purchase commitments and other outstanding, term		5 years
Game & Network Services
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchase commitments and other outstanding		¥ 29,243
Purchase commitments and other outstanding, term		8 years
Advertising and Promotional Rights
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchase commitments and other outstanding		¥ 5,162
Purchase commitments and other outstanding, term		1 year
Fixed Assets
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchase commitments and other outstanding		¥ 199,145
Materials
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchase commitments and other outstanding		¥ 115,670

Commitments, Contingent Liabi_4

Commitments, Contingent Liabilities and Other (Schedule of Aggregate Amounts of Year-by-Year Payment of Purchase Commitments) (Detail) ¥ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020JPY (¥)
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2021	¥ 378,319
2022	103,033
2023	76,541
2024	49,549
2025	36,936
Later fiscal years	40,533
Total	¥ 684,911

Commitments, Contingent Liabi_5

Commitments, Contingent Liabilities and Other (Changes in Product Warranty Liability) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Movement in Standard Product Warranty Accrual [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of the fiscal year	¥ 33,005	¥ 44,717	¥ 57,694
Additional liabilities for warranties	21,448	23,041	32,179
Settlements (in cash or in kind)	(21,491)	(26,326)	(30,570)
Changes in estimate for pre-existing warranty reserve	(562)	(7,370)	(16,802)
Translation adjustments	(593)	(1,057)	2,216
Balance at end of the fiscal year	¥ 31,807	¥ 33,005	¥ 44,717

Business Segment Information (C

Business Segment Information (Components of Segment Sales and Operating Revenue) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	¥ 8,259,885	¥ 8,665,687	¥ 8,543,982
Game & Network Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,919,760	2,224,622	1,848,298
Music
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	838,592	795,025	784,792
Pictures
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,010,714	985,270	1,010,173
Electronics Products & Solutions
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,969,880	2,303,167	2,582,813
Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	985,259	770,622	726,892
Financial Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,299,847	1,274,708	1,221,235
All Other
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	214,999	299,806	351,527
Intersegment | Game & Network Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	57,791	86,250	95,514
Intersegment | Music
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	11,317	12,464	15,203
Intersegment | Pictures
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,140	1,603	894
Intersegment | Electronics Products & Solutions
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	21,388	17,461	17,542
Intersegment | Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	85,317	108,708	123,118
Intersegment | Financial Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	7,901	7,831	7,142
Intersegment | All Other
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	36,421	45,931	55,647
Operating Segments | Game & Network Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,977,551	2,310,872	1,943,812
Operating Segments | Music
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	849,909	807,489	799,995
Operating Segments | Pictures
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,011,854	986,873	1,011,067
Operating Segments | Electronics Products & Solutions
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,991,268	2,320,628	2,600,355
Operating Segments | Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,070,576	879,330	850,010
Operating Segments | Financial Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,307,748	1,282,539	1,228,377
Operating Segments | All Other
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	251,420	345,737	407,174
Corporate and Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	¥ (200,441)	¥ (267,781)	¥ (296,808)

Business Segment Information _2

Business Segment Information (Components of Segment Profit or Loss) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	¥ 845,459	¥ 894,235	¥ 734,860
Other income	21,949	144,735	23,728
Other expenses	(67,958)	(27,322)	(59,539)
Consolidated income before income taxe	799,450	1,011,648	699,049
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	917,647	968,910	798,943
Operating Segments | Game & Network Services
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	238,400	311,092	177,478
Operating Segments | Music
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	142,345	232,487	127,786
Operating Segments | Pictures
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	68,157	54,599	41,110
Operating Segments | Electronics Products & Solutions
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	87,276	76,508	133,129
Operating Segments | Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	235,584	143,874	164,023
Operating Segments | Financial Services
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	129,597	161,477	178,947
Operating Segments | All Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	16,288	(11,127)	(23,530)
Corporate and Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	¥ (72,188)	¥ (74,675)	¥ (64,083)

Business Segment Information -

Business Segment Information - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	¥ 845,459	¥ 894,235	¥ 734,860
Electronics Products & Solutions | Mobile Communications
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	¥ (21,057)	¥ (97,136)	¥ (27,636)

Business Segment Information _3

Business Segment Information (Components of Other Significant Items) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	¥ 9,637	¥ (2,999)	¥ 8,569
Depreciation and amortization	416,642	374,026	361,444
Corporate
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization	27,617	31,049	40,375
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization	389,025	342,977	321,069
Operating Segments | Game & Network Services
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	0
Depreciation and amortization	29,135	29,023	29,091
Operating Segments | Music
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	4,239	(6,915)	4,483
Depreciation and amortization	29,137	21,259	18,230
Operating Segments | Pictures
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	(629)	106	(129)
Depreciation and amortization	21,665	24,081	24,458
Operating Segments | Electronics Products & Solutions
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	136	(38)	(102)
Depreciation and amortization	63,291	61,749	64,279
Operating Segments | Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	0
Depreciation and amortization	134,035	110,746	99,258
Operating Segments | Financial Services
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	(104)	(682)	(61)
Depreciation and amortization	106,667	91,179	79,843
Operating Segments | All Other
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies	5,995	4,530	4,378
Depreciation and amortization	¥ 5,095	¥ 4,940	¥ 5,910

Business Segment Information (S

Business Segment Information (Sales and Operating Revenue to External Customers by Product Category) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	¥ 8,259,885	¥ 8,665,687	¥ 8,543,982
Game & Network Services
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,919,760	2,224,622	1,848,298
Game & Network Services | Digital Software and Add-on Content [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,010,296	1,102,231	762,220
Game & Network Services | Network Services
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	337,265	326,524	270,972
Game & Network Services | Hardware and Others [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	572,199	795,867	815,106
Music
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	838,592	795,025	784,792
Music | Recorded Music — Streaming [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	276,039	227,513	197,439
Music | Recorded Music — Others [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	191,114	199,413	249,521
Music | Music Publishing
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	157,478	106,666	74,360
Music | Visual Media and Platform
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	213,961	261,433	263,472
Pictures
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,010,714	985,270	1,010,173
Pictures | Motion Pictures
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	475,061	436,017	448,945
Pictures | Television Productions
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	301,224	288,816	289,024
Pictures | Media Networks
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	234,429	260,437	272,204
Electronics Products & Solutions
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,969,880	2,303,167	2,582,813
Electronics Products & Solutions | Televisions
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	646,513	788,423	861,763
Electronics Products & Solutions | Audio and Video
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	346,060	362,580	357,194
Electronics Products & Solutions | Other Products and Services
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	231,021	243,328	234,622
Electronics Products & Solutions | Still and Video Cameras
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	384,142	421,506	415,318
Electronics Products & Solutions | Mobile Communications
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	362,144	487,330	713,916
Imaging & Sensing Solutions
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	985,259	770,622	726,892
Financial Services
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,299,847	1,274,708	1,221,235
All Other
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	214,999	299,806	351,527
Corporate
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	¥ 20,834	¥ 12,467	¥ 18,252

Business Segment Information _4

Business Segment Information (Sales and Operating Revenue Attributed to Countries Based on Location of Customers and Long-Lived Assets) (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	¥ 8,259,885	¥ 8,665,687	¥ 8,543,982
Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets	1,301,254	777,053
Japan
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	2,472,479	2,591,784	2,625,619
Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets	946,922	590,694
United States
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,864,390	1,982,135	1,835,705
Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets	214,226	113,581
Europe
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	1,697,791	1,862,166	1,841,457
Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets	67,799	22,622
China
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	845,235	770,416	674,718
Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets	17,996	11,694
Asia Pacific
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	892,026	912,193	1,024,179
Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets	46,932	34,273
Other Areas
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Sales and operating revenue, Total	487,964	546,993	¥ 542,304
Property, plant and equipment, net and right-of-use assets	¥ 7,379	¥ 4,189

Subsequent Events - Additional

Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ / shares in Units, ¥ in Millions	May 20, 2020	May 19, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Jan. 29, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 19, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership				50.00%	44.50%	56.30%
Minimum
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership			20.00%				20.00%	20.00%
Subsequent event | Sony Financial Holdings Inc.
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership shares held		283,050,000
Equity method investment, ownership		65.00%
Subsequent event | Sony Financial Holdings Inc. | Tender Offer
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Approximate purchase price to be paid	¥ 395,538
Sale of stock, number of shares issued in transaction	152,130,036
Subsequent event | Sony Financial Holdings Inc. | Tender Offer | Common stock
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Sale of stock, price per share	¥ 2,600
Subsequent event | Sony Financial Holdings Inc. | Tender Offer | Rights
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Sale of stock, price per share	¥ 259,900
Subsequent event | Minimum | Sony Financial Holdings Inc. | Tender Offer
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Sale of stock, number of shares issued in transaction	7,070,000

Valuation and Qualifying Accoun

Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Detail) - JPY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Allowance for doubtful accounts
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	¥ 25,440	¥ 48,663	¥ 53,150
Beginning adjustment		(25,114)
Additions	9,006	7,112	45,515
Deductions	(6,908)	(5,532)	(51,302)
Other	(1,665)	311	1,300
Balance at end of period	25,873	25,440	48,663
Valuation allowance - Deferred tax assets
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	723,114	899,835	1,051,964
Additions	53,245	116,938	70,797
Deductions	(161,547)	(309,226)	(123,597)
Other	(6,569)	15,567	(99,329)
Balance at end of period	¥ 608,243	¥ 723,114	¥ 899,835