Mikasa was founded in 1917 as the Hiroshima Gomu Corporation ("Hiroshima Rubber Corporation"). The company began its life producing many different types of rubber products, such as
flip-flops and dodgeballs. It began using the Mikasa brand name on its sports products in 1935, and in the early 1940s was consolidated with a number of rival rubber companies. Following World War II, the company grew rapidly: Mikasa volleyballs made their Olympic debut at the
1964 Tokyo Olympics, and in the 1970s the company began to expand globally. Since 1980, Mikasa has also produced the official Olympic
water polo ball. In the 2000s, Mikasa was faced with allegations of labor violations in some factories in
Thailand. The
ITUC published a report alleging anti-labor campaigns by company management. The report detailed allegations of unethical labor practices such as the penalization of union leaders and labor organizers via discriminatory transfers and unjust disciplinary procedures. == Products ==