Pension and Severance Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs

The components of net periodic benefit costs for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were as follows:

Japanese plans:

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2011			2012			2013
Service cost		29,589			29,774			25,343
Interest cost		16,067			15,196			14,606
Expected return on plan assets		(17,987	)		(15,401	)		(16,389	)
Recognized actuarial loss		11,802			12,219			12,853
Amortization of prior service costs		(10,391	)		(10,380	)		(10,271	)
Net periodic benefit costs		29,080			31,408			26,142

Foreign plans:

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2011			2012			2013
Service cost		4,160			3,348			2,387
Interest cost		11,165			10,082			10,197
Expected return on plan assets		(9,135	)		(9,049	)		(9,245	)
Amortization of net transition asset		20			139			117
Recognized actuarial loss		2,911			2,771			1,781
Amortization of prior service costs		(32	)		(448	)		(566	)
Losses (gains) on curtailments and settlements		(31	)		1,111			(405	)
Net periodic benefit costs		9,058			7,954			4,266

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
	2012			2013			2012			2013
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of the fiscal year		735,853			789,059			206,497			221,641
Service cost		29,774			25,343			3,348			2,387
Interest cost		15,196			14,606			10,082			10,197
Plan participants’ contributions		—			—			684			619
Amendments		(1,119	)		—			440			27
Actuarial loss		25,098			49,258			12,376			25,385
Foreign currency exchange rate changes		—			—			(3,273	)		27,354
Curtailments and settlements		(301	)		—			(577	)		(2,106	)
Effect of changes in consolidated subsidiaries		8,852			(15,061	)		3,104			—
Benefits paid		(24,294	)		(36,161	)		(11,040	)		(10,576	)
Benefit obligation at end of the fiscal year		789,059			827,044			221,641			274,928
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of the fiscal year		536,648			556,247			140,387			151,139
Actual return on plan assets		18,447			69,491			11,421			17,075
Foreign currency exchange rate changes		—			—			(1,872	)		18,460
Employer contribution		15,745			10,369			9,033			10,501
Plan participants’ contributions		—			—			684			619
Curtailments and settlements		—			—			(1,386	)		(351	)
Effect of changes in consolidated subsidiaries		4,592			(7,003	)		2,331			—
Benefits paid		(19,185	)		(21,100	)		(9,459	)		(9,424	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of the fiscal year		556,247			608,004			151,139			188,019
Funded status at end of the fiscal year		(232,812	)		(219,040	)		(70,502	)		(86,909	)

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
	2012			2013			2012			2013
Noncurrent assets		1,769			2,219			4,399			1,903
Current liabilities		—			—			(2,943	)		(2,462	)
Noncurrent liabilities		(234,581	)		(221,259	)		(71,958	)		(86,350	)
Ending balance		(232,812	)		(219,040	)		(70,502	)		(86,909	)

Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Excluding Tax Effects

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
	2012			2013			2012			2013
Prior service cost (credit)		(75,840	)		(64,194	)		(2,933	)		(2,753	)
Net actuarial loss		292,382			264,559			38,196			62,686
Obligation existing at transition		—			—			52			35
Ending balance		216,542			200,365			35,315			59,968

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
	2012		2013		2012		2013
Accumulated benefit obligations		786,679		824,345		189,360		233,949

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
	2012		2013		2012		2013
Projected benefit obligations		781,983		819,059		170,314		210,384
Accumulated benefit obligations		779,604		816,360		163,002		204,253
Fair value of plan assets		549,017		599,227		111,667		154,058

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, 2012		Fair value measurements using inputs considered as
Asset class			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash and cash equivalents		14,586		14,586		—		—
Equity:
Equity securities(a)		130,283		127,918		2,365		—
Fixed income:
Government bonds(b)		255,010		—		255,010		—
Corporate bonds(c)		23,853		—		23,853		—
Asset-backed securities(d)		4,722		—		4,722		—
Commingled funds(e)		58,862		—		58,862		—
Commodity funds(f)		1,850		—		1,850		—
Private equity(g)		23,388		—		—		23,388
Hedge funds(h)		42,258		—		—		42,258
Real estate		1,435		—		—		1,435
Total		556,247		142,504		346,662		67,081
	Japanese plans
	Yen in millions
	Fair value at March 31, 2013		Fair value measurements using inputs considered as
Asset class			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash and cash equivalents		8,419		8,419		—		—
Equity:
Equity securities(a)		157,566		154,630		2,936		—
Fixed income:
Government bonds(b)		268,297		—		268,297		—
Corporate bonds(c)		33,053		—		33,053		—
Asset-backed securities(d)		2,797		—		2,797		—
Commingled funds(e)		72,410		—		72,410		—
Commodity funds(f)		1,712		—		1,712		—
Private equity(g)		27,205		—		—		27,205
Hedge funds(h)		35,071		—		—		35,071
Real estate		1,474		—		—		1,474
Total		608,004		163,049		381,205		63,750

(a) Includes approximately 65 percent and 63 percent of Japanese equity securities, and 35 percent and 37 percent of foreign equity securities for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

(b) Includes approximately 64 percent and 59 percent of debt securities issued by Japanese national and local governments, and 36 percent and 41 percent of debt securities issued by foreign national and local governments for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

(c) Includes debt securities issued by Japanese and foreign corporation and government related agencies.

(d) Includes primarily mortgage-backed securities.

(e) Commingled funds represent pooled institutional investments, including primarily investment trusts. They include approximately 42 percent and 48 percent of investments in equity, 56 percent and 48 percent of investments in fixed income, and 2 percent and 4 percent of investments in other for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

(f) Represents commodity futures funds.

(g) Includes multiple private equity funds of funds that primarily invest in venture, buyout, and distressed markets in the U.S. and Europe.

(h) 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.

	Foreign plans
	Yen in millions
	Fair value at March 31, 2012		Fair value measurements using inputs considered as
Asset class			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash and cash equivalents		859		859		—		—
Equity:
Equity securities(a)		36,497		30,514		5,983		—
Fixed income:
Government bonds(b)		43,504		—		43,504		—
Corporate bonds(c)		9,192		—		5,231		3,961
Asset-backed securities		648		—		648		—
Insurance contracts(d)		9,283		—		9,283		—
Commingled funds(e)		43,902		—		43,902		—
Real estate and other(f)		7,254		20		2,151		5,083
Total		151,139		31,393		110,702		9,044

	Foreign plans
	Yen in millions
	Fair value at March 31, 2013		Fair value measurements using inputs considered as
Asset class			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash and cash equivalents		171		171		—		—
Equity:
Equity securities(a)		36,917		29,348		7,569		—
Fixed income:
Government bonds(b)		52,061		—		52,061		—
Corporate bonds(c)		20,095		—		15,322		4,773
Asset-backed securities		526		—		526		—
Insurance contracts(d)		11,639		—		11,639		—
Commingled funds(e)		58,007		—		58,007		—
Real estate and other(f)		8,603		73		1,573		6,957
Total		188,019		29,592		146,697		11,730

(a) Includes primarily foreign equity securities.

(b) Includes primarily foreign government debt securities.

(c) Includes primarily foreign corporate debt securities.

(d) Represents annuity contracts with or without profit sharing.

(e) 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.

(f) 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, 2012 and 2013:

	Japanese plans
	Yen in millions
	Fair value measurement using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
	Private equity		Hedge funds			Real estate			Total
Beginning balance at April 1, 2011		19,888		43,688			1,533			65,109
Return on assets held at end of year		450		470			(98	)		822
Return on assets sold during the year		—		—			—			—
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		3,050		(1,900	)		—			1,150
Transfers, net		—		—			—			—
Ending balance at March 31, 2012		23,388		42,258			1,435			67,081
Return on assets held at end of year		3,817		(1,514	)		39			2,342
Return on assets sold during the year		—		—			—			—
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		—		(5,673	)		—			(5,673	)
Transfers, net		—		—			—			—
Ending balance at March 31, 2013		27,205		35,071			1,474			63,750

	Foreign plans
	Yen in millions
	Fair value measurement using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
	Corporate     bonds			Commingled     funds			Real estate     and other			Total
Beginning balance at April 1, 2011		4,846			530			3,773			9,149
Return on assets held at end of year		447			—			558			1,005
Return on assets sold during the year		—			—			—			—
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		(1,209	)		(530	)		156			(1,583	)
Transfers, net		—			—			—			—
Other*		(123	)		—			596			473
Ending balance at March 31, 2012		3,961			—			5,083			9,044
Return on assets held at end of year		260			—			245			505
Return on assets sold during the year		1			—			—			1
Purchases, sales, and settlements, net		(20	)		—			(23	)		(43	)
Transfers, net		—			—			—			—
Other*		571			—			1,652			2,223
Ending balance at March 31, 2013		4,773			—			6,957			11,730

* 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
2014		27,762		10,314
2015		30,427		11,022
2016		32,921		10,658
2017		34,154		11,306
2018		36,391		11,937
2019 — 2023		218,706		68,135

Total Defined Contribution Expenses

Total defined contribution expenses for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were as follows:

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2011		2012		2013
Japanese plans		9		464		3,729
Foreign plans		4,350		6,726		13,070

Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Member]

Weighted-Average Assumptions

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations as of March 31, 2012 and 2013 were as follows:

	Japanese plans						Foreign plans
	March 31						March 31
	2012			2013			2012			2013
Discount rate		1.9	%		1.5	%		4.7	%		4.1	%
Rate of compensation increase		*			*			3.5			3.1

* Substantially all of Sony’s Japanese pension plans were point-based. Point-based plans do not incorporate a measure of compensation rate increases.

Benefit Obligation [Member]

Weighted-Average Assumptions

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit costs for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were as follows:

	Japanese plans									Foreign plans
	Fiscal year ended March 31									Fiscal year ended March 31
	2011			2012			2013			2011			2012			2013
Discount rate		2.3	%		2.1	%		1.9	%		5.5	%		5.2	%		4.7	%
Expected return on plan assets		2.9			3.0			3.0			5.9			6.5			6.1
Rate of compensation increase		*			*			*			4.0			3.5			3.5

* Substantially all of Sony’s Japanese pension plans were point-based. Point-based plans do not incorporate a measure of compensation rate increases.