Creating the first emoji
In 1999, Japanese designer Shigetaka Kurita created a global phenomena - the first emoji
Witness History · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
In 1999, Japanese software developer Shigetaka Kurita created the first emoji.
The umbrella was one of 176 original images, featuring weather, transport signs, numbers and emotions.
He was inspired after noticing the popularity of a pager, aimed at teenagers, that used a heart symbol. The idea took off.
Now, more than 10 billion emoji are sent by people across the world every day, and World Emoji Day is celebrated each year on 17 July. It's the date marked on the emoji calendar.
Shigetaka told Jane Wilkinson of his pride in the creation.
(Photo: Umbrella emoji, 1999. Credit: Copyrighted by NTT DOCOMO)