Shigetaka Kurita

Japanese software developer

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Last updated

July 22, 2026

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Shigetaka Kurita is a Japanese software developer credited with creating the first set of emojis in 1999 for NTT DOCOMO. These were 176 colorful pictograms designed for cell phones, depicting universal concepts like weather, moods, and animals. While Kurita is often cited as the inventor, SoftBank released a smaller, black-and-white set of emojis in 1997.12

Emojis are digital pictographs used in digital communication to express emotions, objects, and ideas. The term "emoji" comes from the Japanese words for "picture" (e) and "written character" (moji). These symbols are standardized by the Unicode Consortium, ensuring they can be displayed across different devices and platforms. Emojis add a nonverbal element to computer-mediated communication, helping to clarify meaning and reduce ambiguity, much like body language in face-to-face interactions.12

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In 1999 Japanese software developer Shigetaka Kurita created a series of 176 colourful pictorial icons for the cell phone company NTT DOCOMO. These emojis depicted concepts that were simple yet universal, such as weather, moods, foods, and animals. Kurita is often credited for the invention of the emoji, though it…
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In 1999 Japanese software developer Shigetaka Kurita created a series of 176 colourful pictorial icons for the cell phone company NTT DOCOMO. These emojis depicted concepts that were simple yet universal, such as weather, moods, foods, and animals. Kurita is often credited for the invention of the emoji, though it…
Read More