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 sheets						Maximum exposure to loss
	Marketable securities		Securities investments and other		Prepaid expenses and other current assets		Maximum exposure to loss
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 sheets						Maximum exposure to loss
	Marketable securities		Securities investments and other		Prepaid expenses and other current assets		Maximum exposure to loss
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.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest (as defined) held by the entity requires the variable interest entity (VIE) (as defined) to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the VIE, individually or in aggregate (as applicable); the nature of restrictions, if any, on the consolidated VIE's assets and on the settlement of its liabilities reported by an entity in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets and liabilities; the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with involvement in the VIE; how involvement with the VIE affects the entity's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows; the lack of recourse if creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of the consolidated VIE have no recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary (if applicable); the terms of arrangements, giving consideration to both explicit arrangements and implicit variable interests, if any, that could require the entity to provide financial support to the VIE, including events or circumstances that could expose the entity to a loss; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance are shared (as defined); the carrying amounts and classification of assets and liabilities of the VIE included in the statement of financial position; the entity's maximum exposure to loss, if any, as a result of its involvement with the VIE, including how the maximum exposure is determined and significant sources of the entity's exposure to the VIE; a comparison of the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities and the entity's maximum exposure to loss; information about any liquidity arrangements, guarantees, and (or) other commitments by third parties that may affect the fair value or risk of the entity's variable interest in the VIE; whether or not the entity has provided financial support or other support (explicitly or implicitly) to the VIE that it was not previously contractually required to provide or whether the entity intends to provide that support, including the type and amount of the support and the primary reasons for providing the support; and supplemental information the entity determines necessary to provide.

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